THE  PRIWE  STABLE 

Its  Establishment,  Management 
and  Appointments 


James  A. Garland 


THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

PRESENTED  BY 

PROF.  CHARLES  A.  KOFOID  AND 
MRS.  PRUDENCE  W.  KOFOID 


THE  PRIVATE  STABLE 

OPINIONS    REGARDING    THE    FIRST    EDITION 

Turf,  Field,  and  Farm. 

"  The  horses,  the  harness,  the  equipages,  the  grooms,  and  every- 
thing else  necessary  to  equrp  a  private  stable  come  under  intelligent 
discussion.  ...  It  is  a  book  which  should  be  in  demand.  .  .  ." 

Review  of  Reviews. 

"•....  Everything  that  needs  to  be  known  for  the  successful  estab- 
lishment and  management  of  a  private  stable  seems  to  be  contained 
between  the  covers  of  this  excellent  manual.  .  .  ." 

Mail  and  Express. 

"...  The  touch  of  the  master  of  his  subject  is  discernable  on 
every  page  of  this  book.  .  .  ." 

New  York  World. 
"  .  .  .  It  is  a  treasure-house  of  valuable  and  accurate  information." 

Boston  Transcript. 

"  Lovers  and  owners  of  horses  will  find  in  '  The  Private  Stable :  Its 
Establishment,  Management,  and  Appointments '  a  work  which  has 
been  long  and  sorely  needed,  and  one  whose  value  as  an  adviser  on 
all  points  connected  with  horses,  their  proper  care,  grooming,  and 
training,  cannot  be  overestimated.  .  .  ." 

Rider  and  Driver. 

"...  These  and  many  other  subjects  are  covered  in  a  most  com- 
prehensive and  masterly  style,  and  it  is  our  pleasure  to  say  that  we 
heartily  indorse  the  work  as  one  of  the  best  that  has  come  to  our 
attention." 

Philadelphia  Ledger. 

"  .  .  .  It  is  a  manual  that  will  be  of  real  service  alike  to  the  owners 
of  good  stables  and  to  all  who  have  to  do  with  their  care  and  manage- 
ment. .  .  .  Altogether,  the  book  is  to  be  commended  as  a  useful 
work  for  practical  purposes,  and  directly  to  the  purpose  set  forth  on 
its  title-page." 


THE  PRIVATE   STABLE, 


New  York  Tribune. 

"  .  .  .  It  is  a  good  book,  well  done  in  every  respect.  .  .  ." 
Providence  Sunday  Journal. 

"  .  .  .  The  novice  who  studies  this  book  with  care  and  follows  its 
teachings  can  feel  confident  that  his  equipages  are  all  turned  out  in 
the  perfection  of  the  latest  fashion.  .  .  ." 

Boston  Daily  Advertiser. 

"  .  .  .  *  The  Private  Stable '  is  the  most  attractive,  comprehensive, 
and  conveniently  arranged  book  on  the  subject  that  we  have  ever 
seen  —  and  we  have  seen  a  good  many.  It  would  be  difficult  to  find 
anywhere  else  all  the  information  which  is  here  accessible,  with  the 
aid  of  a  most  excellent  index;  and  it  would  be  equally  difficult  to 
name  any  point  on  which  a  private  horse  owner  would  be  likely  to 
want  to  inform  himself  which  is  not  here  elucidated." 

Philadelphia  Evening  Telegram. 

"  One  of  the  best-known  horsemen  in  New  England  has  contributed 
a  most  valuable  addition  to  the  many  volumes  now  in  existence  con- 
cerning the  care,  equipment,  and  treatment  of  horses.  Filled  with 
numerous  illustrations,  the  present  book  is  just  what  has  been  needed 
for  a  long  time  as  a  book  of  reference,  both  for  the  owner  and  the 
stableman.  .  .  ." 

Chicago  Evening  Post. 

"...  His  book,  dealing  with  the  essential  facts  thus  gleaned, 
becomes  at  once  the  reference'work  that  should  be  of  great  value  to 
novices  in  setting  up  stables,  and  an  educator  of  progressive  stable 
employes.  Every  detail  of  stable  life  is  so  thoroughly  covered  in 
this  book  that  it  might  be  said  nothing  of  importance  has  been 
overlooked.  .  .  ." 

Cleveland  Plain  Dealer. 

"...  Everything  in  regard  to  the  stable,  horses,  carriages,  coach- 
men, stablemen,  harness,  feed,  etc.,  has  been  looked  after,  down  to 
the  smallest  detail,  and  thoroughly  illustrated.  The  illustrations,  as 
well  as  the  text,  are  all  practical ;  they  are  not  '  embellishments,'  but 
genuine  '  illustrations  '  of  the  text.  A  good  index  completes  the 
usefulness  of  the  work. 

"...  As  a  manual  of  practical  information,  its  value  is  unques- 
tionable." 


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The  Private  Stable 

Its  Establishment,  Management 
and  Appointments 

By  James  A.  Garland 


New  Edition.    With  additional  chapters  on   Hunters  and  Hunting  by 

Harry  W.  Smith  ;   Exhibiting,  by  Francis  M.  Ware  ;   Hints  on 

Driving,    supplemented    with    notes    on    Tandem    and 

Four-In-Hand  Driving,  by  Frederick  Ashenden  ; 

Riding    and   Driving   for   Women,   by 

Miss  Belle  Beach;  Observations 

on    Riding,    by    T.   C.   P. 

of  Toronto 


Illustrated 


Boston 

Little,  Brown,  and  Company 
1903 


Copyright,  1899,  1902, 
BY  LITTLE,  BROWN,  AND  COMPANY, 

All  rights  reserved. 


PKCSSWOKK  BY 
Tun  UNIVKRSITV  PKKSS,  CAMBRIDGE,  U.  S.  A. 


Eo 
Sons 


M3491S6 


NOTE. 

THE  author  desires  to  acknowledge  his  indebtedness  to  those  who 
have  so  generously  given  their  time  and  aid  in  supplying  photographs 
or  the  plates  from  which  some  of  the  illustrations  have  been  made. 
Among  those  to  whom  he  is  under  the  greatest  obligations  are  Messrs. 
Brewster  &  Co.,  the  late  Mr.  C.  F.  Bates,  Mr.  F.  F.  French,  Messrs. 
Moseman  &  Brother,  Messrs.  Martin  &  Martin,  Messrs.  Mark  W.  Cross 
&  Co.,  Messrs.  Rogers,  Peet  &  Co.,  Mr.  John  O'Hare,  Messrs.  W.  S. 
Snow  &  Co.,  Broad  Gauge  Iron  Stall  Works,  Messrs.  Alman  &  Co., 
and  Messrs.  Flandrau  &  Co. 


x  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER    VII.  PAGE 

THE  CHOICE  OF  A  HORSE.  — Types,  Carriage  Horses,  Saddle 

Horses,  Sources  of  Supply,  Values,  and  Buying  .     .     .     .     121 

CHAPTER   VIII. 

HARNESS.  —  Quality   of  Leather,   Furniture,    Fitting,   Various 

Parts  and  Appointments  .     . .     161 

CHAPTER   IX. 

SADDLES   AND  BRIDLES.  —  The   Parts,  Construction,  Design, 

and  Cost     .     .     . .     *     .     .     .     .     217 

CHAPTER  X. 

BITS. — The    Construction  of  Driving  and    Riding   Bits,  The 

Various  Types,  Curb-Chains,  and  Cost      ......     249 

CHAPTER   XL 

WHIPS,  ROBES,  HORSE  CLOTHING,  ETC.  —  Driving  and  Riding 
Whips;  Coaching,  Tandem,  and  Hunting  Horns;  Driving 
Aprons ;  Dress  and  Stable  Clothing ;  Stable  Requisites,  etc.  274 

CHAPTER  XII. 

STABLE   SERVANTS.  —  Character,   Education,   Types,   Wages, 

Means  of  Obtaining,  etc .     .     313 

CHAPTER   XIII. 

LlVERY.  —  Its  Origin,  Regulations   Governing  the  Shape  and 

Make,  Details  Defined,  and  Cost  .     .     .     .     .  '.     .     .     .     338 

CHAPTER   XIV. 

STABLE  MANAGEMENT.  —  Recognition  of  Authority,  System, 
Order,  Cleanliness,  Economy,  Regulation  of  Time  off,  Meal 
Hours,  Care  of  Stable  Requisites 358 


CONTENTS.  xi 

CHAPTER   XV.  PAGE 

FODDER,  WATER,  AND  BEDDING.  — The  Quality,  Quantity,  and 

Cost  of  Hay,  Grain,  Bedding,  etc 389 

CHAPTER   XVI. 
BLANKETING,  GROOMING,  BANDAGING,  AND  SHOEING    .    .     .    418 

CHAPTER  XVII. 

Conditioning,  Mouthing,  Exercising,  Trimming,  Pulling  the 
Mane,  Hogging,  Docking,  Clipping,  Singeing,  Pasturing, 
and  Wintering 452 

CHAPTER   XVIII. 

Bitting,  The  Bearing-Rein,  Preparing  the  Horse  for  Saddle  or 
Harness,  Saddling,  Harnessing,  Putting  on  Livery,  "  Putting 
to,"  Position  on  the  Box,  Groom's  Duties,  The  Use  of  a 
Carriage,  Distance,  Unsaddling,  Unharnessing,  Care  of 
Horses,  Carriages,  Steels,  Harness,  Saddles,  Whips,  Livery, 
and  Robes 480 

CHAPTER   XIX. 
VETERINARY  NOTES 531 

CHAPTER  XX. 

HINTS  ON  DRIVING  :  One  Horse,  A  Pair,  Tandem,  and  Four- 
in-Hand.  Supplemented  with  Some  Notes  on  Tandem  and 
Four-in-Hand  Driving.  By  Frederic  Ashenden  ....  542 

CHAPTER   XXI. 
RIDING  AND  DRIVING  FOR  WOMEN.    By  Belle  Beach    .     .     .     561 


xii  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER    XXII. 
RIDING  FOR  MEN.     By  T.  C.  P.  of  Toronto  .  .....  .    .    .    .    ...  572 

CHAPTER   XXIII. 
HUNTERS  AND  HUNTING.    By  Harry  W.  Smith     .....     585 

CHAPTER   XXIV. 
EXHIBITING.     By  Francis  M.  Ware 595 

RECORDS.  —  One-Horse  Running  Records;    Riding  Records; 

Driving  Records  .  • 609 

INDEX  611 


LIST  OF  FULL-PAGE  ILLUSTRATIONS. 


The  Prize-winning  Pair,  "  Coxy"  and  "  Brown  Donna"      Frontispiece 

Exterior  of  City  Stable Facing  page    28 

Exterior  of  Country  Stable  .     .     ./ ,,  ,,      32 

Interior  of  Harness  Room ,,38 

„      44 

The  First  Brougham  constructed,  and  Bus  of  Stand- 
ard Design ,  ,,64 

Victoria  of  Standard  Design,  and  Panel-boot  Victoria 

of  Standard  Design ,,  ,,72 

Two  types  of  Pole-Ends ,,  ,,      78 

Pole-Ends  for  Road  Coach,  with  chain  fastened  to 

the  langet  by  shackles,  bolts,  and  nuts    ...        ,,        ••'-•,/      80 

Types  of  Modern  Carriages.     Plate  I      .i   ....        ,,          ,,84 
„      „         „  „  Plate  II     ......  ,,85 

The  Champion  Roadsters,  "Emoleta"  and  "  Mam- 

brino  Belle"     .    V    .     .     .   ./'.*    .     .     ...        „          „      88 

"Going-to-cover"  Cart    .     .     .     .'.    .     /    .     .     .     .        ,,          ,,      90 

The  Champion  Harness  Horse,  "  The  Whirl  of  the 

Town " '     ,,          ,,     104 


xiv  ILLUSTRATIONS. 

The  Prize-winning  Carriage  Horses,  "The  Rat"  and 

"The  Cat" Facing  page  110 

The     Champion     Trotting-bred     Harness      Horse, 

"Cogent" „          ,,122 

The  Prize-winning  Hackney,  "  Langton  Performer"  ,,  „  124 

Prize-winning  Pony,  "  Sport" ,,  ,,  135 

Prize-winning  Ladies'  Saddle  Horse,  "  Lady  Bonnie  "  ,,  „  138 

The  Prize-winning  Heavyweight  Hunter,  "  Burford  "  ,,  ,,  142 

The  Prize-winning  Polo  Pony,  "  Buckwheat  "  ...  „  ,,  146 

Prize-winning  Pony,  "  Ginger " „  ,,159 

The  Prize-winning  Ponies,  "Spot"  and  "Light  Foot  "  ,,  ,,  174 

The  Prize-winning  Harness  Horse,  "Great  Scott"    .  ,,  ,,  184 

Three  types  of  Tugs  —  English,  French,  and  Tilbury  „  ,,  188 

The     Prize-winning    Tandem,    "  Goldenrod  "     and 

"  Blazeaway " „          ,,190 

Brougham    Harness    of  the   winning   entry  at   the 

National  Horse  Show ,,          ,,    202 

Pair-Horse  Victoria  Harness  of  winning  entry  at  the 

National  Horse  Show ,,          ,,    204 

Run-about    Harness   of  the  winning   entry  at   the 

National  Horse  Show ,,          „    206 

Tandem   Harness  of  the  winning  entry  at  the  Na- 
tional Horse  Show ,,          „    208 

Park  Coach   Harness  of  winning  entry  in  appoint- 
ment class  at  the  National  Horse  Show  ...        ,,          ,,210 

Road  Coach  Harness  of  winning  entry  at  the  Na- 
tional Horse  Show „          ,,212 

The  Prize-winning  Roadster,  "Hood's  McGregor"        ,,          „    214 


ILL  USTRA  TIONS.  xv 

Head  Lad  in  Stable  Clothes Facing  page  322 

Coachman  and  Groom  in  Greatcoats ,,  ,,  340 

Coachman  and  Groom  in  Body  Coats „  ,,  342 

Coachman  in  Stable  Clothes „  ,,  348 

Servant  in  Storm  Clothes ,,  ,,  352 

The  Prize-winning  Road  Four  at  Philadelphia      .     .  ,,  „  404 

Tandem  Bars ,,  ,,  499 

The  late  Mr.  Frank  Beard's  Road  Four „  „  500 

The    Prize-winning    Pair,    "  Coxy "    and     "  Brown 

Donna " „  ,,  504 

Half-bred  Hackney,  "Frills" „  ,,526 

Champion,  "  Glorious  Bonnie  " „  ,,  542 

Prize-winning  Pair,  "Donner"  and  "Blitzen"  .     .     .  ,,  ,,  545 

The  Champions,  "Glorious  Bonnie"  and  "Glorious 

Connie" „  ,,555 

Preparing  to  Mount  and  Proper  Seat ,,  ,,  561 

Prize-winning  Pair,  "Kitty  Gray"  and  "The  Baron"  „  „  569 

Mr.  Vanderbilt's Champion  Harness  Horse,  "U.G.I."  „  ,,  571 

Mr.  H.  L.  Bussigny's  "Pierrot,"  winner  of  the  cham- 
pionship, 1901       „  ,,  572 

Mr.  Smith's  "  St.  Rudolph,"  with  owner  up      ...  „  „  585 

Judges  and  Officials  of  the  Newport  Horse  Show     .  „  ,,  595 

Gig  Class,  Newport  Horse  Show ,,  ,,  600 


THE  PRIVATE  STABLE. 


CHAPTER    I. 

The  horse  shows  that  are  now  held  annually  in  the  large 
cities  have  done  much  to  stimulate  an  interest  in  all  matters 
pertaining  to  the  horse.  Their  influence  has  been  very 
marked,  and  its  effect  is  seen  in  the  increased  demand  for 
good  horses,  improved  appointments  and  better  horseman- 
ship. Owners  of  all  classes,  but  with  a  common  interest  at 
heart,  are  brought  in  contact;  ideas  are  interchanged  and 
the  opinions  of  the  horse-world  are  moulded  and  shaped  into 
definite  form ;  impractical  and  pet  theories  are  exposed  to 
common-sense  criticism,  and  standards,  more  or  less  rigid, 
are  established  by  those  who  have  proved  themselves  best 
qualified  to  determine  them.  Although  horse  shows  aim 
to  provide  examples  of  what  is  right,  yet  the  public  at 
large  is  not  informed  why  they  are  considered  so,  and  has 
to  turn  to  other  sources  for  enlightenment.  However,  that 
a  desire  for  further  information  is  aroused  is  an  important 
step  in  the  right  direction,  and  has  started  a  crusade  against 
general  ignorance  in  such  matters. 


2  THE  INFLUENCE    OF  HORSE   SHOWS. 

The  novice,  wishing  to  establish  a  stable,  encounters  so 
many  pitfalls,  and  has,  usually,  so  little  advice  offered  except 
by  interested  and  designing  persons,  that  the  author  has 
been  led  to  believe  that  there  are  many  who  will  wel- 
come and  use  some  timely  counsel  on  the  establishment 
and  management  of  a  private  stable.  In  the  arrangement 
of  the  text  every  effort  has  been  made  to  present  the  sub- 
jects systematically  with  a  view  to  rendering  them  explicit 
to  a  beginner  and  convenient  for  reference.  No  attempt 
has  been  made  to  define  the  details  of  appointments;  but 
those  which  characterize  the  winning  entries  at  the  National 
Horse  Show  or  that  are  followed  by  well  known  owners  have 
been  given  as  a  guide  to  the  prospective  exhibitor.  The 
opinions  of  authorities  vary  to  such  an  extent  that  the  estab- 
lishment of  a  recognized  standard  to  cover  all  the  small 
points  seems  very  remote.  The  reader  should  consider  him- 
self free  to  indulge  his  own  preferences,  provided  that  they 
do  not  result  in  introducing  details  which  are  impractical 
or  displeasing. 

The  welfare  and  comfort  of  the  horse  have  been  carefully 
considered,  as  many  of  the  pains  which  our  patient  four- 
footed  friend  is  forced  to  bear  are  brought  upon  him  through 
the  unpardonable  ignorance  of  those  whom  he  so  faithfully 
serves.  A  bit  made  unnecessarily  severe,  a  collar  that  im- 
pedes the  breathing  or  chafes  the  shoulders,  a  bearing-rein 
that  cramps  the  muscles  of  the  neck,  injudicious  feeding  or 
heartless  exposure,  are  the  cause  of  some  of  the  sufferings 
which  the  autho  hopes  he  may  be  instrumental  in  alleviating. 

The  indifference  of  owners  regarding  their  stables  has  one 
very  general  effect,  that  of  engendering  carelessness,  vary- 
ing in  degree  according  to  the  characters  of  the  stable- 


THE  INFLUENCE    OF  THE    OWNER.  3 

servants.  The  carriages  and  horses  may  look  well  on  the 
road,  due,  not  to  any  respect  for  the  owner,  but  to  the  ser- 
vant's fear  of  unfavorable  personal  comment.  This  appre- 
hension does  not  always  exist,  and  cannot  therefore  be 
depended  upon  to  keep  indifferent  servants  up  to  even  a 
superficial  performance  of  their  duties. 

At  home  the  coachman  has  too  frequently  no  incentive 
offered  to  exert  himself;  the  owner  seldom  enters  the  stable, 
and  when  he  does  so  the  chances  are  that  through  his  silence, 
enforced  by  ignorance,  he  unwittingly  sanctions  much  that  is 
wrong.  The  author  once  asked  a  man  why  he  was  not  doing 
better  work  for  his  employer,  to  which  he  replied,  "  Well,  sir, 
there  ain't  no  use  sittin'  up  all  night  cleaning  harness  when  the 
folks  don't  care  whether  it's  done  or  not,  nor  gittin'up  afore  the 
crack  of  dawn  to  have  the  stable  clean  and  tidy  when  nobody 
never  sees  it."  From  which  characteristic  argument  an  expla- 
nation may  be  found  for  many  instances  of  bad  workmanship. 

Much  good  and  no  little  pleasure  can  be  derived  from 
daily  visits  to  the  stable.  If  a  person  is  not  at  the  moment 
fond  of  horses,  the  natural  love  of  animals  gradually  develops, 
and  the  owner  then  becomes  desirous  of  making  his  stable  a 
model  one,  and  of  maintaining  it  in  good  form  by  having 
the  very  best  of  all  that  is  required. 

As  the  reader  has  in  all  likelihood  not  as  yet  become 
imbued  with  sufficient  enthusiasm  to  be  in  sympathy  with 
these  extreme  views,  and  is  still  standing  on  the  threshold 
of  his  stable  debating  whether  it  is  "  wise  or  otherwise 
than  wise"  to  enlighten  himself  concerning  so  many 
details,  and  thereby  become  conscious  of  troubles  that 
lurk  within  ,•  let  us  suppose  that,  for  the  moment,  the 
beginner  decides  to  let  well  enough  alone  and  returns  to  his 


4  THE    OWNER  JUDGED  BY  HIS   TURN-OUT. 

house;  at  some  time  he  is  forced  into  drawing  a  comparison 
between  a  passing  trap  arid  his  own,  and  is  surprised  to  find 
that  the  other  horses  appear  to  go  better  with  the  carriage 
and  with  each  other;  the  harness,  the  horses  and  the  whole 
turn-out  have  a  smoother  and  more  pleasing  effect  to  the  eye 
than  his  equally  expensive  ones.  Symmetry  is  not  the  result 
of  chance,  but  of  thought,  care,  a  knowledge  of  details  and 
careful  attention,  combined  with  judgment  and  good  taste. 

When  it  is  considered  that  to  educated  persons  a  vehicle 
is  as  indicative  of  the  character  of  the  owner  as  are  his  man- 
ners, dress  and  household  surroundings,  it  is  but  natural  that 
he  should  wish  to  qualify  himself  to  give  the  subject  of  this 
essay  his  attention  and  personal  supervision.  It  may  be 
asked,  why  turn  a  source  of  pleasure  into  a  care  by  the 
annoyance  its  management  would  in  all  likelihood  entail  ? 
Without  considering  the  moral  duty,  which  any  possession 
implies  to  exist,  it  may  be  said,  that  an  individual  who  is  less 
informed  than  those  who  are  serving  him  is  not  qualified  to 
govern,  and  a  person  unfit  to  intelligently  control  the  care  of 
his  possessions  is  the  sufferer  from  his  own  folly  and  incom- 
petency. 

To  be  constantly  driven  in  an  ill-appointed  vehicle  is  an 
unconscious  acknowledgment  of  bad  taste  or  ignorance,  and 
the  author  joins  the  critical  onlooker  in  a  common  regret, 
that  the  possession  of  wealth  should  so  often  serve  to  empha- 
size the  lack  of  refinement  and  good  taste  by  expenditures 
which  make  the  owner  an  object  of  pity,  if  not  of  ridicule. 
Yet  there  is,  and  unfortunately  always  will  be,  a  class  of  peo- 
ple utilizing  horses  and  carriages  who  know  nothing,  and, 
what  is  far  worse,  care  nothing  about  the  welfare  of  their 
animals,  unless  they  are  actually  incapacitated.  This  is  seen 


THE  EFFECT  OF  THE    OWNER'S  INDIFFERENCE.       5 

especially  in  large  cities  and  at  fashionable  summer  resorts, 
where  the  complexities  of  life  and  social  competitions  are  to 
blame  for  much  of  the  evil. 

As  a  rule,  when  an  equipage  forms  only  one  of  the  many 
luxuries  of  an  establishment,  the  management  is  entirely  in 
the  hands  of  a  coachman,  who  "  owns  the  stable,"  being 
limited  in  nothing,  except  possibly  as  to  the  total  expense 
for  each  month.  This  method  of  shirking  a  self-inflicted 
responsibility  would  not  be  so  pernicious,  provided  every 
man  intrusted  with  the  care  of  a  stable  were  as  good  as  the 
best  servants,  but  without  some  personal  knowledge  it  is 
impossible  to  pass  judgment  on  one's  coachman  or  groom. 
Intemperance  or  ignorance  is  often  not  discovered  until  an 
accident  occurs  to  the  horse,  carriage  or  perhaps  the  owner. 
It  may  or  may  not  then  transpire  that  the  worthy  servant 
had  previously  served  the  profession  of  sign  painter,  yacht 
steward  or  at  best  strapper  in  some  livery  stable. 

From  a  general  lack  of  intelligent  supervision,  Jehus, 
recruited  from  every  walk  of  life,  have  been  given  liberty  to 
run  riot  with  their  theories,  remedies  and  individual  methods 
of  accomplishing,  or  of  appearing  to  accomplish,  their  voca- 
tions, with  the  result  that  to  the  majority  of  the  public  the 
management  of  the  stable  is  shrouded  in  mystery.  People 
have  a  vague  impression  that  the  horse  is  kept  alive  by  magic 
art,  indispensable  powders  or  other  unknown  concoctions  of 
the  stable  magician.  In  reality  the  work  should  be  of  the 
simplest  order,  and  the  very  complexities  which  confront  the 
owner  are  the  products  of  ignorance  and  mismanagement, 
just  as  dust  and  dirt  are  of  slovenliness. 

The  thoughtlessness  or  bad  judgment  which  character- 
izes the  blind  confidence  of  many  who  intrust  the  care  of 


6  THE    OWNER  MUST  BECOME  MASTER. 

innumerable  costly  possessions  to  servants  of  unknown 
ability  is  without  parallel.  Hundreds  and  often  thousands 
of  dollars'  worth  of  property  are  needlessly  destroyed  by  a 
few  acts  of  neglect  or  improper  care.  A  two-hundred-dollar 
watch  can  only  be  regulated  by  such  and  such  a  man,  but  its 
owner  turns  a  $  1,000  pair  of  horses  over  to  the  care  of  a 
drunkard.  A  ten-dollar  check  is  carefully  locked  up,  while 
a  $1,500  carriage  is  allowed  to  rot  in  a  damp  carriage  house. 

Those  who  are  about  to  become  masters  of  their  own 
establishments  should  start  out  with  the  idea  clearly  fixed  in 
their  minds  that  the  complications  which  John  or  James  pre- 
sents to  thwart  his  employer's  entrance  on  sacred  ground  are 
the  fruits  either  of  stupidity  or  of  bad  training.  For  the 
moment  ignore  them  and  get  working  the  more  important 
inner  wheels  of  the  machine,  and  afterwards  give  the  details 
your  attention.  Practical  common  sense  accompanied  by 
systematic  work  and  the  enforcement  of  absolute  obedience  to 
orders  are  the  chief  principles  to  be  observed  in  good  stable 
management.  In  your  cleaning  "a  new  broom"  may  be 
found  necessary  or  conducive  to  the  success  of  the  new 
regime.  If  John  or  James  cannot  accommodate  himself  to 
the  changed  conditions,  another  man  should  be  installed,  as 
an  inferior  or  surly  servant  can  make  the  task  hard  enough 
to  discourage  even  an  experienced  hand.  Beginning  with 
the  time  of  feeding  and  the  amount  of  food,  then  with  the 
blanketing,  grooming  arid  exercising,  the  care  of  the  car- 
riages, harness,  etc.,  should  be  brought  under  your  own 
supervision. 

Charles  Brinley,  in  his  valuable  little  book,  "  The  Pocket 
and  the  Stud,'5  says,  regarding  the  management  of  the  stable 
by  a  woman :  — 


THE  MANAGEMENT  OF  A  STABLE  BY  A    WOMAN.       1 

"  Nothing  pleases  a  subordinate  more  than  to  receive  a  command  that 
he  has  the  opportunity  of  showing  to  be  absurd  or  unreasonable.  It  author- 
izes hesitation  in  obeying  and  discussion  on  the  propriety  of  any  that  may  be 
subsequently  given. 

"  To  prevent  such  an  unpleasantness  on  the  part  of  a  lady,  or  one  unac- 
customed to  horses,  the  mode  can  be  prescribed  in  a  very  few  words.  We 
will,  of  course,  suppose  that  the  horses  and  their  accompaniments  are  wished 
to  look  as  they  should  do  for  the  purpose  for  which  they  are  wanted.  The 
first  thing  is  to  be  made  master  of  what  proportion  of  work  it  is  reasonable 
to  expect  from  horses  in  their  different  capacities,  and  the  mode  in  which 
and  times  at  which  such  work  should  be  called  for.  We  will,  of  course, 
suppose  they  are  to  have  a  comfortable  stable,  comfortable  clothing,  and  the 
man  to  have  proper  time  to  do  his  business,  and  all  that  he  requires  in  rea- 
son to  do  it  with ;  the  next  thing,  the  proper  and  liberal  allowance  of  prov- 
ender of  different  sorts  that  is  necessary  to  keep  up  the  required  condition. 
Having  learned  this,  and  that  the  horses  are  in  good  health  at  the  time  the 
man  takes  to  them,  there  can  be  nothing  unkind,  unreasonable,  and  still  less 
overbearing,  in  her  addressing  her  servant  in  something  like  the  following 
strain  :  *  I  give  you  charge  of  my  horses  in  good  health  and  condition.  I 
shall  only  use  them  in  such  a  way  as  authorizes  my  expecting  them  to  be 
kept  so.  I  make  such  an  allowance  of  provender  as  I  am  told  by  those  who 
perfectly  understand  such  matters  is  fully  sufficient.  I  shall  take  care  that 
your  situation  is  made  a  comfortable  one  to  you ;  and  so  long  as  you  do 
your  duty  by  me  and  my  horses,  you  will  keep  it.  Provided  my  horses  look 
well,  you  will  find  that  no  unnecessary  interference  with  you  will  take  place ; 
but  if,  on  the  contrary,  I  am  told  they  are  neglected,  or  what  is  the  same 
thing,  look  as  if  they  were  so,  the  same  day  you  go,  unless  I  am  told  by 
competent  judges  that  you  are  not  to  blame ;  and  I  never  break  my  word.' 

"With  such  an  exordium,  no  good  servant  would  be  afraid  to  enter  on  his 
charge  and  doubtless  would  do  his  duty ;  while  one  less  well  disposed  would 
be  afraid  to  neglect  it.  He  might  try  <  the  kicking  over  the  trace,'  but  if  he 

found  that  on  the  first  attempt  Mr. pulled  him  up,  he  would  find  it 

would  not  do." 

The  task  of  personally  conducting  the  management  of  a 
stable  is  one  that  a  lady  is  advised  not  to  undertake  even  with 


8  PUBLIC  AND    CLUB   STABLES. 

a  good  servant  in  charge.  The  control  of  stables  is  to  stable 
servants  what  politics  are  to  politicians  —  very  corrupting. 
If  a  lady  desires  to  maintain  a  stable,  she  will  find  it  to  her 
advantage  to  place  the  supervision  of  it  in  the  hands  of  some 
relative,  even  though  his  experience  in  such  matters  is  limited. 

A  tyro,  owing  to  the  seeming  impossibility  of  finding 
proper  stable  accommodations,  often  succumbs  to  the  persua- 
sions of  some  livery-stable  keeper  to  have  the  turn-out  boarded 
in  a  public  establishment.  The  possessor  of  a  good  horse  and 
carriage  is  advised  under  most  circumstances  to  avoid  such  a 
•disposition  of  the  subject,  for  the  reason  that  a  stable  of  this 
kind  is  conducted  purely  on  money-making  principles. 
Provision  is  made  with  a  view  to  handling  only  cheap,  com- 
mercial horses  and  carriages.  The  stalls  are,  as  a  rule,  nar- 
row, badly  drained  and  lighted  ;  the  carriage  house  dark, 
damp  and  unprotected  from  the  dust  and  dirt  of  the  street ; 
and  your  coachman,  besides  being  deprived  of  fair  means  of 
acquitting  himself  to  the  best  of  his  ability,  is  thrown  in  con- 
tact with  a  hard  set  of  men.  Then  again  if  the  proprietor  is 
unscrupulous  it  is  more  than  likely  that  he  or  his  subordi- 
nates will  turn  your  possessions  to  his  personal  account  by 
using  your  blankets,  brushes,  pails,  etc.  In  public  stables 
there  is  more  risk  from  contagious  diseases,  in  consequence 
of  your  horses  being  thrown  in  contact  with  a  large  number 
of  animals,  any  one  of  which  is  apt  to  bring  the  germs  of  an 
epidemic  into  the  stable. 

There  is  greater  chance  of  faring  better  in  a  club  stable, 
though  many  of  the  objections  cited  above  are  to  be  met  with 
in  stables  of  a  semi-private  character.  If  a  person  does  not 
care  to  maintain  a  separate  stable,  it  will  be  found  more  con- 
venient and  economical  in  the  long  run  to  share  a  private  one 


BOOKS   OF  REFERENCE.  9 

with  a  friend  or  to  use  a  club  stable  in  preference  to  intrust- 
ing valuable  chattels  to  the  uncertain  care  given  them  in  a 
livery  stable. 

There  are  numerous  works  treating  of  the  horse,  his  care 
in  sickness  and  his  general  management.  Reference  to  some 
of  these  books  will  be  made  from  time  to  time  in  order  that 
the  reader  may,  if  he  chooses,  become  more  conversant  with 
all  or  any  part  of  the  subjects  which  are  here  dealt  with  in  a 
necessarily  general  way.  These  books  are  as  a  rule  individ- 
ually of  but  little  service  as  a  guide  to  the  beginner  who  de- 
sires to  be  informed  in  untechnical  terms  as  to  what  he  wants 
and  how  to  obtain  it.  These  notes  therefore  are  intended  in 
the  first  chapters  to  give  the  elementary  information  required 
by  a  person  contemplating  the  acquisition  of  one  or  more 
horses  and  carriages  ;  and  the  remaining  pages  are  devoted 
to  advice  and  suggestions  whereby  a  stable  can  be  successfully 
and  economically  conducted. 


CHAPTER    II. 
GOOD   TASTE,    FASHION   AND    HERALDRY. 

GOOD   TASTE. 

GOOD  taste  as  applied  to  an 
equipage  may  be  described  as 
a  natural  inclination  to  reject 
whatever  in  the  common-sense 
meaning  of  the  word  is  not 
right,  i.  e.,  has  no  raison  d'etre. 
Each  object  should  possess  that 
perfect  balance  which  is  obtained  by  carrying  every  detail  to 
a  full  state  of  development.  There  must  be  nothing  super- 
fluous, exaggerated,  nor  anything  wanting;  each  subordinate 
part  should  have  some  function  and  be  in  harmony  with  the 
completed  whole. 

Good  taste  in  a  turn-out  is  shown  by  the  choice  of  a  prop- 
erly designed  carriage  for  the  service  it  is  intended  to  perform. 
The  horse  or  the  pair  should  be  sound,  well  mannered, 
up  to  and  not  above  the  work  ;  the  harness  simple,  well  made 
and  properly  put  on  ;  the  servant  or  servants  well  appearing, 
well  trained  and  uniformed  in  properly  fashioned  livery.  An 
equipage  thus  turned  out  will,  in  all  likelihood,  cost  but  little 
more  to  maintain  than  the  majority  of  the  shoddy  vehicles 
which  too  frequently  herald  the  presence  of  an  owner,  who 
mistakes  the  notice  occasioned  by  vulgar  display  for  the 
much  desired  awe  and  admiration  of  the  public.  In  "  setting 
up  a  stable  "  the  purchaser  should  bear  in  mind  that  the  car- 


FASHION. 11 

riage,  harness  and  livery,  if  of  simple  and  appropriate  design, 
will  always  be  in  good  taste,  though  they  may  not  satisfy  the 
demands  of  a  passing  fashion. 

Evidences  of  bad  taste  are  manifested  by  many  persons 
who  exhibit,  in  the  extravagance  of  the  separate  parts  of 
their  equipage,  a  desire  to  have  "the  proper  thing,"  but  who 
fail,  owing  to  the  inappropriateness  or  lack  of  harmony  in 
the  component  parts.  The  most  common  example  of  bad 
taste  is  thrust  before  our  notice  in  the  vulgar  effort  of  some 
ambitious  owners  to  possess  elaborately  appointed  equipages  ; 
and  who  mar  the  whole  effect  by  having  the  new  livery  of 
the  new  groom  a  few  shades  darker  than  that  of  the  coach- 
man, or  in  the  vain  attempt  to  make  the  worn-out  family 
steeds,  by  the  aid  of  fine  feathers,  partake  of  the  animation 
and  glitter  of  a  phase  of  life  unknown  to  them. 

An  owner  of  large  means,  if  inclined  to  conduct  his 
stable  luxuriously,  may  do  so  and  keep  within  the  bounds  of 
good  taste  by  improving  the  quality  or  increasing  the  num- 
ber of  his  horses  and  carriages ;  either  course  will  ease  the 
pressure  on  the  purse-strings  and  add  more  to  the  comfort 
and  pleasure  of  the  master  than  the  bedecking  of  the  harness 
with  metal  mountings  or  the  conspicuous  blazoning  of  coats 
of  arms  on  the  carriage  panels. 

FASHION. 

Fashion  is  a  name  given  to  the  constantly  changing  pro- 
vision which  is  made  to  satisfy  the  natural  desire  for  variety. 
The  dictates  of  this  mistress  are  based,  in  many  instances, 
on  a  sound  foundation,  and  a  beginner,  though  started  by  a 
competent  adviser,  soon  goes  astray  if  he  does  not  possess 
sufficient  judgment  to  discriminate  between  the  good  and 
the  bad. 


12  HERALDRY. 

When  a  new  design  is  the  result  of  rational  improve- 
ments it  first  becomes  the  fashion  with  those  who  understand 
horses  and  carriages,  and  then  with  the  general  public.  The 
case  is  reversed  when  dealers,  with  the  sole  object  of  creat- 
ing some  novelty,  introduce  a  bizarre  form  or  pattern.  Un- 
thinking persons  may  be  attracted  by  it  for  the  moment; 
since,  however,  it  is  without  any  serviceable  or  redeeming 
qualities,  its  place  is  soon  taken  by  some  new  commercial  bait. 

A  fashion  should  possess  enough  freshness  and  originality 
to  satisfy  any  reasonably  active  mind,  and  may  easily  be  at- 
tained by  new  combinations  without  creating  such  things  as 
are  without  reason,  appropriateness  or  relationship.  "  Every- 
thing partaking  of  a  sham,  also,  that  is  wanting  in  real 
excellence,  will  be  discarded  by  persons  desiring  to  obtain 
credit  for  correct  taste." 

HERALDRY. 

That  form  of  pretension  which  makes  evident  the  intent 
to  deceive,  and  under  such  conditions  the  arrogance  of  an 
individual,  calls  forth,  especially  from  those  whom  he  most 
desires  to  impress,  the  severest  condemnation  and  ridicule. 

In  the  matter  of  heraldic  display,  the  upstart  "rushes 
in  where  angels  fear  to  tread."  By  a  bungling  self-assump- 
tion of  honors,  he  goes  to  an  extreme  that  makes  the  contrast 
with  a  conveniently  forgotten  past  so  conspicuous,  that  his 
flowery  present  excites  a  desire  on  the  part  of  the  public  to 
become  familiar  with  the  life  history  of  so  great  a  member  of 
the  community.  Herbert  Spencer,  in  the  Westminster 
Review^  1854,  says:  "Coats  of  arms,  which  served  to  dis- 
tinguish men  in  battle,  now  figure  on  the  carriage  panels  of 
retired  tradesmen.  Once  a  badge  of  high  military  rank,  the 


HERALDRY.  13 

shoulder-knot  has  become  on  the  modern  footman  a  mark  of 
servitude." 

Though  coats  of  arms  beget  no  official  recognition  for 
their  bearers  in  this  country,  they  are  not  without  some  weight 
socially.  A  display  of  a  coat  of  arms,  or  any  of  its  parts, 
cannot  be  considered  other  than  a  sign  of  one  of  the  many 
weaknesses  of  human  vanity.  A  mistake,  however,  in  the 
usage  of  such  insignia  by  a  person  wrho  can  lay  just  claim  to 
it  by  inheritance  is  free  from  the  charge  of  deception,  though 
it  opens  him  to  the  criticism  of  ignorance  regarding  such 
matters.  Since  the  former  class  are  barred,  as  the  bearers  of 
false  coin,  it  is  for  the  latter  that  the  following  information, 
supported  by  recognized  authorities,  is  given  regarding  the 
use  and  abuse  of  heraldic  insignia,  as  applied  to  carriages, 
livery  and  harness. 

Mr.  John  E.  Coussans,  an  eminent  English  authority, 
unmistakably  indicates  that  the  right  is  denied  to  display 
coats  of  arms  or  crests  on  the  above-mentioned  parts  of  an 
equipage.  "  They  (badges)  were  intended  to  be  borne  on 
military  equipments,  caparisons,  articles  of  domestic  use,  etc." 
In  another  passage  the  same  author  states :  "  Buttons  should 
always  be  of  the  dominant  metal  in  the  arms  and  charged 
with  the  master's  badge,  not  his  crest.  The  latter  belongs 
exclusively  to  the  bearer  of  the  arms,  servants  have  no  right 
whatever  to  them." — ("  Handbook  of  Heraldry,"  fourth  edi- 
tion, pages  1 33  and  333.)  In  further  support  of  the  argument 
that  badges,  and  not  crests,  should  be  used,  may  be  quoted  a 
line  from  Boutell's  "  Heraldry,"  second  edition,  referring  to 
the  Middle  Ages,  which  reads,  "  Every  servant  carried  his 
master's  badge  on  his  arm."  Again  quoting  Mr.  Coussans : 
"  As  the  bearing  of  crests  was  restricted  solely  to  their  indi- 


14  HERALDRY. 

vidual  possessors,  badges  consisting  of  a  single  figure  were 
employed  to  designate  the  family  to  which  such  dependants 
belonged  "  (page  1 33.)  Regarding  the  selection  of  badges,  the 
same  author  says  :  "  Badges  .  .  .  are  quite  arbitrary:  if,  there- 
fore, a  gentleman  has  not  an  hereditary  badge,  he  is  at  per- 
fect liberty  to  devise  one  for  himself,  without  any  fear  of 
incurring  the  censure  of  the  College  of  Heralds  "  (page  333). 

Custom  makes  many  inroads  into  laws  and  frequently 
robs  them  of  their  original  significance.  Should  a  person 
decide  that  present  custom  and  precedent  outweigh  the  fine 
distinctions  that  encompassed  the  science  of  heraldry,  and 
which,  in  fact,  created  the  science  in  establishing  marks  of 
differentiation  among  men,  then  let  such  a  person,  at  least, 
conform  to  the  accepted  modern  laws  governing  the  subject. 

These  laws  are  here  given  in  an  abridged  form. 

i.  THE  MALE  MEMBERS  of  a  family  inheriting  arms  may 
use  the  coat  of  arms  or  the  crest,  with  or  without  the  motto 
and  ribbon. 

Authority :  Coussans,  page  150,  "  Paternal  arms  being  by  right  borne  by 
all  sons  of  a  family,"  etc. 

If  the  bearer  of  arms  marries  a  woman  whose  family  is 
also  entitled  to  bear  arms,  he  may  impale  the  two  shields,  i.  e., 
combine  the  two  shields  in  one,  the  dividing  line  between 
them  being  drawn  perpendicularly  through  the  centre  of  the 
shield,  the  charge  of  the  husband's  shield  occupying  the  left- 
hand  division.  This  impaled  shield  can  only  be  borne  by  the 
husband  and  his  wife,  or  either  of  them  in  the  event  of  the 
other's  death. 

Authority :  Bou  tell,  page  223,  "The  arms,  therefore,  of  husband  and 
wife  (when  the  wife  is  not  an  heiress)  can  only  be  borne  by  the  husband  and 


HERALDRY.  15 

wife."  Coussans,  page  165,  "Marshalling  by  impalement  is  effected  by 
slightly  compressing  the  two  coats  of  arms,  and  placing  them  in  their  entirety 
side  by  side  on  one  escutcheon.  In  this  manner  the  arms  of  husband  and 
wife  are  usually  combined,  those  of  the  husband,  or,  in  heraldic  phraseology, 
the  baron  towards  the  dexter,  and  those  of  the  femme  on  the  sinister." 

The  sons  use  their  father's  coat  of  arms  unless  their  mother 
is  an  heiress ;  i.  e.>  has  inherited  the  arms  in  consequence  of 
there  being  no  male  heirs  and  she  being  the  eldest  or  only 
daughter,  in  which  case  the  sons  are  entitled  to  quarter  their 
shield  with  the  paternal  and  maternal  arms. 

Authority:  Coussans,  page  166,  "All  the  issue  of  a  marriage  with  an 
heir  female  are  entitled  to  bear  both  their  paternal  and  maternal  coats 
quartered,  together  with  all  the  quarterings  to  which  their  mother  may  her- 
self have  been  entitled." 

2.  THE  FEMALE  MEMBERS  of  a  family  inheriting  arms  may 
use  the  shield,  and  only  the  shield,  with  the  modifications 
given  below. 

Authority :  Boutell,  page  298,  "  Crests  are  not  borne  in  the  armorial  in- 
signia of  ladies  with  the  exception  of  the  sovereign."  Coussans,  page  199, 
"  There  are  many  ancient  families  who,  though  bearing  arms,  possess  no  motto, 
and  its  use  is  in  all  cases  forbidden  to  ladies,  the  queen  excepted." 

Daughters  and  widows  who  are  entitled  to  bear  arms  use 
a  diamond  or  lozenge  shaped  shield. 

Authority :  Boutell,  page  9,  "  The  escutcheons  of  unmarried  gentle- 
women and  widows  and  noble  ladies  who  have  married  commoners  are 
always  lozenge  or  diamond  shaped." 

Regarding  the  use  by  women  of  impaled,  i.  e.,  combined 
arms,  see  last  paragraph  of  laws  relating  to  the  use  of  arms 
by  the  male  members  of  a  family.  The  use  of  the  impaled 
shield  is  appropriate  when  co-ownership  is  to  be  implied. 

The  ridiculous  audacity  of  a  commoner  displaying  a  crown 


16  HERALDRY. 

or  coronet  is  evident  to  every  one  who  knows  that  the  former 
can  only  be  borne  by  kings  and  the  latter  by  royal  princes. 

A  common  error  in  blazoning,  i.  e.,  rendering  heraldic  de- 
vices from  the  technical  descriptions,  arises  from  ignorance 
of  the  fact  that  the  dexter  side  of  the  shield  is  not  the  right 
but  the  left  side.  This  seeming  inconsistency  in  nomencla- 
ture is  explained  by  the  fact  that  the  sides  of  the  shield  were 
designated  by  the  person  who  stood  behind  it :  hence  that 
side  of  the  shield  which  is  on  the  right  hand  of  the  person 
carrying  it  is  on  the  left  side  of  the  person  facing  it. 

Another  "  bull  "  that  is  made  in  blazoning  is  the  render- 
ing of  the  bandeau  or  torse  upon  which  the  crest  rests 
with  more  or  less  than  six  twists. 

It  should  be  composed  of  exactly  six  twists  and  be  alter- 
nately light  and  dark,  the  first  twist  at  the  extreme  left  should 
always  be  lighter  in  color  than  the  one  next  it.  Authority : 
Coussans,  page  188,  "It  is  composed  of  six  twists  and  derives 
its  tinctures  from  the  shield  and  charges  which  it  ensigns. 
The  predominant  metal  and  color  appear  alternately,  the 
metal  towards  the  dexter." 

Unless  the  reader  is  thoroughly  conversant  with  the  many 
Jaws  of  heraldry  and  is  thereby  capable  of  judging  when  the 
blazoning  is  properly  done,  its  application  had  best  be 
omitted.  In  its  place  let  some  badge,  knot  or  rebus  be  em- 
ployed to  convey  the  idea  of  private  ownership.  The  public 
exhibition  of  a  person's  consciousness  that  he  is  or  believes 
himself  to  be  more  favored  in  the  matter  of  birth  than  the 
majority  of  his  fellow  beings  is  a  proof  that  not  only  is  his 
vanity  greater  than  his  modesty,  but  that  his  desire  to  impress 
outweighs  his  recognition  of  the  virtue  of  simplicity. 


CHAPTER  III. 


EXPENSES. 

COST    OF    ESTABLISHING    AND     MAINTAINING    A     STABLE     IN    THE 
CITY,   TOWN    OR    COUNTRY. 

THAT  bugbear  of  all 
luxuries,  the  item  of  cost, 
forces  itself  into  early 
prominence  in  consider- 
ing the  establishment  of 
a  private  stable.  In 
many  instances  the 
seeds  of  social  ambition 
are  first  sown  in  the 
stable  and  are  dependent  upon  the  clippings  from  trades- 
men's orders  and  other  domestic  economies  for  their  early 
nutriment.  Even  when  an  income  is  sufficient  to  support 
a  separate  stable  account,  the  inexperienced  person,  if  pru- 
dent, wishes  to  possess  an  approximate  idea  as  to  what  will 
be  the  extent  of  the  demands  on  his  purse.  The  expense 
incident  to  the  equipment  and  maintenance  of  various  sized 
stables  is  neither  so  vague  nor  so  difficult  to  accurately 
anticipate  as  is  commonly  supposed,  and  it  is  quite  possible 
for  a  beginner  to  be  guided  beforehand  by  reviewing  the  cost 
of  representative  establishments. 

Although  the  majority  of  stable  expenses  are  definite  and 
subject  to  little  or  no  variation,  there  are  several  items  which 
fluctuate,  and  some  of  these  are  beyond  the  direct  control  of 


17 


18  EXPENSES. 

the  owner.  Thus  a  stable  among  residences  or  in  the  com- 
mercial part  of  any  of  the  large  cities  sells  or  rents  for  double 
the  price  of  a  similar  one  in  a  less  favored  neighborhood ; 
then  the  varying  amounts  and  different  kinds  of  work  the 
same  number  of  horses,  carriages  and  men  are  made  to  per- 
form by  different  owners  bear  a  marked  influence  on  the 
cost.  As  the  standard  is  higher  in  the  cities  the  renewals  are 
necessarily  more  frequent  and  of  a  more  expensive  nature  than 
those  in  a  town  or  country  place  where  the  life  of  carriages, 
harnesses  and  liveries  is  often  extended  beyond  a  condition 
of  gentility.  Such  shabby  economy  would  evoke  unpleasant 
criticism  in  a  city.  The  horses,  carriages,  etc.,  being  of  a 
more  costly  type  in  the  cities,  it  is  obvious  that  more  expe- 
rienced and  consequently  better  paid  labor  is  required  in 
their  care  and  in  the  execution  of  repairs  and  renewals. 

A  stable  servant  may  save  his  master  a  large  sum  of 
money  in  the  course  of  a  few  years  or  he  can  create  innumer- 
able bills  for  repairs,  varying  from  those  for  broken  harness 
to  the  more  serious  charges  for  veterinary  attendance  or  the 
coach  builder's  account. 

Having  been  shown  the  existence  and  cause  of  these  fluc- 
tuating expenses,  the  reader  will  understand  why  the  figures 
given  in  computing  the  running  expenses  of  specific  repre- 
sentative establishments  are  only  approximate. 

A  beginner,  through  his  ignorance  of  what  is  necessary 
in  the  running  of  a  stable,  seldom,  if  ever,  at  the  outset  of 
his  career,  equips  his  establishment  with  the  proper  requi- 
sites. He  more  often  either  underestimates  the  number  of 
the  articles  needed  or  acquiesces  only  too  willingly  in  the 
purchase  of  useless  brushes,  pastes  and  quack  concoctions 
suggested  by  a  glib-tongued  servant.  As  the  owner's  purse 


EXPENSES.  19 

suffers  as  much  from  one  mistake  as  from  the  other,  the 
author  has  given  a  list  in  this  chapter,  and  in  the  one  on 
Stable  Management,  of  what  is  actually  required.  It  may  be 
stated  here  that,  as  much  irreparable  harm  is  often  done  by 
the  inferior  quality  or  ruinous  effects  of  popular  labor-saving 
compounds,  it  has  been  deemed  advisable  to  specify  well- 
known  standard  materials. 

The  logical  order  of  presenting  the  items  of  this  subject 
would  necessitate,  first,  giving  the  detailed  sums  required  for 
the  equipment,  followed  by  an  enumeration  of  the  running 
expenses ;  but  in  the  present  instance  this  order  has  been 
reversed,  as  the  first  question  which  the  tyro  naturally  asks 
is,  what  size  stable  does  a  given  portion  of  my  income 
represent  in  terms  of  horses  and  carnages  ?  Therefore  an 
understanding  of  the  monthly  expenses  of  different  sized 
stables,  conducted  under  various  conditions,  has  to  be  mas- 
tered before  the  beginner  is  in  a  position  to  decide  upon  the 
dimensions  and  to  consider  the  original  outlay. 

One  servant  can  care  for  three  horses  and  a  stable 
equipped  proportionately  with  carriages,  harness,  etc.,  but 
for  a  matter  of  simplicity  and  convenience  the  items  are 
based  on  the  expenses  incident  to  the  keeping  of  one  horse. 
The  figures  given  may  serve,  however,  as  a  framework  upon 
which  the  cost  of  fodder,  bedding,  shoeing  and  repairs  can 
readily  be  made  for  a  much  larger  establishment. 


STABLE    REQUISITES ORIGINAL    OUTLAY. 

HORSE  CLOTHING,  ETC.  HORSE  CLOTHING.— Cent. 

1  Eng.  Leather  Head  Collar, white  1  Day  Blanket,  fawn  kersey,  win- 
front,  brass  trimmed $250  ter   $7  50 

1  Halter  Shank  with  buckle 1  00  1  Night  Blanket,  fawn  burlap,  sum- 

1  Night    Blanket,    fawn     burlap,  mer    2  00 

winter 2  75  1  Day  Blanket,  serge,  summer  ....       3  50 


20 


EXPENSES. 


HORSE  CLOTHING. — Cent. 

1  Hood,    fawn    kersey,     medium 

weight $4  50 

2  Linen  Sheets 3  00 

1  Single-strapped  Roller 35 

1  Double-strapped  Roller  for  ker- 
sey blanket 3  50 

1  Pair  Knee  Caps  to  match  kersey 

blanket 2  50 

1  Set  (4)  Woollen  Bandages  ....  1  50 

1  Set  (4)  Linen  Bandages 1  25 

1  Cooler 3  50 

$39  35 

GROOMING  ARTICLES. 

1  Cleaning  Bridle $1  50 


1  Body  Brush  

2  75 

1  Currycomb  

25 

1  Horn  Mane  Comb  

25 

1  Dandy  Brush  

50 

1  Water  Brush  

1  25 

1  Set  (4)  Linen  Rubbing  Cloths.. 

1  00 

1  Sponge  

75 

1  Wooden  Scraper  

15 

1  Hoof  Pick  

25 

1  Pair  Trimming  Scissors  

1  25 

1  Hand  Clipper  

2  00 

1  Singeing  Lamp  

1  Bar  Mottled  Castile  Soap  

1  75 
50 

FOR  THE  STALL  ROOM. 

1  Two-quart  Oat  Measure 

1  One-quart  Oat  Measure 

1  Iron  Oat  Sieve 

1  Pair  Pillar  Reins 

1  Heavy  Oak  Pail 

1  Rattan  Push  Broom 

1  Wooden  Bedding  Fork 

1  Manure  Fork 

1  Shovel 

1  Stall  Pick 

1  Basket 

1  Watering  Pot  for  Disinfectant . . 
1  Can  Amer.  Disinfecting  Liquid. 

1  Sponge  Rack 

1  Harness  Hook 

1  Set  (4)  Broom  and  Fork  Hooks, 

1  Blanket  Pole,  6  ft.  long 

IHoofPick 


15 


30 
20 
00 
00 
75 
75 
50 
75 
00 
75 
45 
75 
80 
00 
75 
00 
50 
25 


FOR  THE  CARRIAGE  HOUSE. 

1  Heavy  Oak  Pail #0  75 

1  Wringer 3  75 

1  Wooden  Wheel  Jack 2  50 

1  Step  Ladder 3  00 

1  Length  (50  ft.)  of  Hose 5  00 

1  Hose  Bracket 75 

1  Squilgee 75 

1  Mop 25 

2  Sponges 1  50 

1  Sponge  Rack 200 

1  Oil-tanned  Chamois 50 

1  Chamois 75 

1  Feather  Duster 1  90 

1  Carriage  Brush 1  90 

1  Whisk  Broom 25 

1  Rubber  Apron 1  50 

1  Pair  Rubber  Boots 3  50 


#30  55 


FOR  THE  HARNESS. 

1  Pair  Compo.  Brushes 

2  Crest  Brushes 

1  Dry  Chamois 

1  Black  Chamois 

1  Package  Lampblack 

1  Can  Jamison's  Harness  Compo  . 

1  Cake  Beeswax 

1  Can  Propet's  Black  Dye 

1  Bottle  Brown's  Meltonian  Cream, 

1  Can  Neat's-foot  Oil 

1  Jar  Propet's  Saddle  Paste 

1  Can  S.  P.  S.  Brass  Polish,  White 

Label 

1  Box  Propet's  Plate  Powder 

Silver  Sand  for  Steels 

1  Harness-cleaning  Hook 

2  Harness  Brackets 

1  Florence  Oil  Stove 

1  Leather  Punch 

1  Steel  Burnisher 


$1  50 

1  50 
75 
50 
10 
30 
45 
50 
25 
25 
25 

35 
40 

75 
3  00 

2  25 
1  50 
1  00 

#15  60 


#16  50 


FOR  THE  LIVERY. 

1  Pair  Boot  Brushes $1  50 

1  Pair  Boot-top  Brushes 2  00 

1  Hat  Brush 45 

1  Clothes  Brush 2  00 

1  Bottle  Day  &  Martin's  Blacking,  25 


EXPENSES. 


21 


FOR  THE  LIVERY. — Cont. 
1  Bottle  Day  &    Martin's   Russet 

Cream #0  25 

1  Jar  Propet's  Breeches  Paste 75 

1  Box  Propet's  Boot-top  Powder  .  40 

1  Bottle  Propet's  Boot-top  Stain  . .  25 

1  Pair  Boot  Trees 500 

1  Pair  Breeches  Trees 14  75 

1  Button  Plate 20 

#27  80 


TOTALS. 

For  Horse  Clothing,  etc $39  35 

"    Grooming  Articles 14  15 

"    Stall-room  Articles 16  50 

"    Carriage  House 30  55 

"    Harness  Articles 14  60 

"    Livery  Articles 2780 


Total  for  Stable  Requisites,    #142  95 


COST    OF   FODDER    AND    BEDDING. 

The  prices  given  are  approximate,  the  rate  for  hay  is  a  little  low  and  that  for  straw  a  trifle  high. 


Quantity 
Per  Day. 

Cost 
Per  Day. 

Quantity 
Per  Month. 

Cost 
Per  Month. 

Quantity 
Per  Year. 

Cost 
Per  Year. 

OATS, 

at  32c.  per  bu. 

10-11  qts. 

10-11  cts 

300-330  qts 

$3.00-$3.30 

3,600-3,900  qts. 

$36.00-$39.60 

HAY, 

at  $20  per  ton 

10-11  Ibs. 

10-11  cts. 

300-330  Ibs. 

3.00-3.30 

3,600-3,900  Ibs. 

36.00-39.60 

STRAW, 

at  $20  per  ton 

3-4  Ibs. 

3-4  cts. 

90-120  Ibs. 

.90-1.20 

1,080-1,440  Ibs. 

10  80-14.40 

BRAN  OR  SHORTS, 

at  #16.40  per  ton 

2-4  Ibs. 

.016-  032 

24-48  Ibs. 

.19-.38 

CARROTS, 

at  75c.  per  bu. 

1-2  Ibs 

1-2  cts. 

30-60  Ibs. 

.38  .75 

360-720  Ibs. 

4.50-9.00 

Totals, 

24-28        i     24-28 

722-844 

$7-28-$8.56 

8,664-10,008 

$87.49-102.98 

SERVANT'S  WAGES. 


SHOEING. 


REPAIRS. 


WAGES  OF  ONE 
MAN  AT 

$45.00  per  month 
50.00        " 


65.00 


DAY 

$1.47 
1.64 
1.97 
2.13 


PER 
YR. 

$540 
600 
720 
780 


SET  OF 

FOUR 


PER 
MO. 

at  $i.OO       $2.00 
"    2.50          2.50 


PER 
YR. 

$24.00 
30.00 


"    3.00         3.00         36.00 
Average,  $30.00  per  year. 


ARTICLES 

Blankets, 
Harness, 
Carriage, 
Stable  Req.,  20.00 


PER 
YR. 

$10.00 
10.00 
25.00 


TOTAL    AMOUNT    OF    RUNNING    EXPENSES. 


Rental  of  Stable 

Water,  Light  and  Fuel . 

Wages  of  1  Man 

Feed,   Straw,    etc.,   J 

for  one  horse  \  '  " 

Shoeing  for  one  horse. . . 

Renewals 

Repairs 

Sundries 


$1,000.00  to  $3,000.00 
100.00     175.00 
580.00     830.00 

100.00     125.00 
24.00      36.00 
50.00     200.00 
50.00     100.00 
25.00      50.00 

$300.00  to   $500.00 
75.00  "    150.00 
580.00  "    830.00 

100.00  "    125.00 
24.00  "     36.00 
40.00  "     75.00 
25.00  "     50.00 
15.00  "     25.00 

$100.00  to   $17500 
75.00     150  00 
580.00     830.00 

100.00     125.00 
24.00      36.00 
20.00      60.00 
25.00      50.00 
15.00      25.00 

$1,929.00  to  $4,516.00 

$3,222.00 
270.00 

$1,159.00  to  $1,791.00 
96.00  "    150.00 
$1,475.00 
123.00 

$939.00  to  $1,441.00 
80.00  "    120.00 
$1,200.00 
100.00 

Total  for  one  year 

Total  for  one  month 

Average  for  one  year  .... 

Average  for  one  month  . . 
For  each  horse  eliminated  deduct  from  the  running  expenses  $250. 
For  each  additional  horse  add  to  the  running  expenses  $250. 
When  more  than  three  and  less  than  seven  horses  are  kept  the  wages  of  a  second  man   must  be  added. 

$500. 


EXPENSES. 


The  reader,  having  formed  an  intelligent  idea  of  the 
amount  required  to  support  stables  of  various  sizes  and  un- 
der different  conditions,  has  to  consider  now  the  items  which 
compose  the  cost  of  the  original  outlay. 


ITEMS. 


HAL    AMOUNT    OF 

ORIGINAL 

EXPENSES. 

CITY. 

TOWN. 

COUNTRY. 

5225.00  to      $500.00 

$180.00  to 

$300.00 

$200.00  to      $300.00 

700.00 

1,200.00 

400.00  " 

800.00 

250.00 

400.00 

120.00 

300.00 

100.00  " 

150.00 

75.00 

150.00 

75.00 

150.00 

50.00   " 

75.00 

50.00 

75.00 

50.00 

150.00 

50.00   " 

125.00 

50.00 

125.00 

30.00 

100.00 

10.00  " 

20.00 

5.00 

15.00 

50.00 

150.00 

45.00  " 

75.00 

35.00  "          00.00 

50.00            150.00 

25.00  " 

75.00 

15.00  "          25.00 

1  Winter  Carriage. 
1  Summer  Carriage, 
1  Set  of  Harness  . . 
Stable  Requisites  . . 

Robes 

Livery  

Sundries 

Totals $1,300.00  to  $2,700.00    $860.00  to  $1,620.00     $680.00  to  $1,150.00 

TOTAL    EXPENSE    FOR    FIRST    YEAR. 

ITEMS.  CITY.  TOWN.  COUNTRY. 

Original  Outlay  . . .    $1,300.00  to  $2,700.00    $860.00  to  $1,620.00    $680.00  to  $1,150.00 
Running  Expenses, 
with  I  horse...-      1,929.00"     4,516.00    1,159.00  "     1,791.00       939.00"     1,441.00 

Total $3,229.00  to  $7,2 16.00  $2,019.00  to  $3,411.00  $1,619.00  to  $2,591.00 

At  first  thought  the  fact  that  the  higher  estimate  is  in  each 
case  almost  double  that  of  the  lower  may  incline  the  reader 
to  suppose  that  either  the  former  is  liberal  or  the  latter  too 
small:  neither  of  which  is  actually  so.  The  lower  esti- 
mates are  sufficient  to  allow  a  stable  to  be  conducted  under 
the  conditions  indicated  in  a  neat,  workmanlike  manner,  to 
accomplish  which  no  waste  or  bad  management  can  be  per- 
mitted. On  the  other  hand,  the  larger  allowances  are  no 
more  than  will  be  required  for  keeping  the  stable  and  its 
appointments  in  a  high  state  of  perfection. 

The  blankets,  harnesses  and  carriages  will  have  to  be  re- 
placed by  new  ones  from  time  to  time,  the  blankets  more  fre- 
quently than  the  harnesses  and  the  latter  at  shorter  intervals 


EXPENSES.  23 

than  the  carriages.  Good  blankets  should  last,  with  proper 
care,  two  or  three  years  before  requiring  rebinding  or  mend- 
ing. The  harness,  if  kept  in  good  condition,  will  last  eight  or 
ten  years,  and  the  repairs  will  not,  or  should  not,  amount  to  a 
large  sum.  The  carriages,  unless  subjected  to  very  hard 
use  or  injured  by  accident,  will  not  require  a  thorough  over- 
hauling for  from  three  to  five  years,  but  after  that  time  the 
bill  for  repairs  will  appear  at  frequent  intervals.  Carriages 
should  be  examined  and  repaired  at  the  end  of  each  season. 
The  existence  of  the  livery  is  comparatively  transitory,  es- 
pecially if  the  turn-out  is  of  such  a  character  that  any  shab- 
biness  in  the  coachman's  apparel  is  noticeable. 

If  economy  has  to  be  practised,  the  amount  expended  in 
the  purchase  of  a  horse  may  be  lessened  by  taking  advantage 
of  the  off  season  in  the  horse  market ;  an  animal,  especially 
a  stylish  one,  will  command  at  auction  almost  twice  the  price 
in  May  or  October  that  he  would  in  July  or  February.  A 
like  saving  may  be  made  in  the  purchase  of  a  carriage  by 
buying  a  good  and  little  used  secondhand  one  from  some 
responsible  builder.  The  objection  to  this  latter  piece  of 
economy  is  the  possibility  or  likelihood  of  buying  a  wagon 
out  of  which  all  the  service  has  been  had.  Providing  the 
owner  has  a  careful  man  in  charge,  a  saving  may  be  made 
by  getting  pastes,  powders,  brushes,  etc.,  by  the  dozen  from 
some  wholesale  firm.  By  purchasing  in  this  way  a  saving 
of  a  few  cents  on  each  article  is  effected,  and  a  similar  saving 
may  be  made  in  the  purchase  of  other  stable  requisites.  If, 
however,  the  stable  servants  are  prodigal  with  articles  bought 
in  quantities,  the  waste  will  more  than  offset  the  difference 
in  the  cost. 

The  running  expenses  may  be  kept  down  to  a  minimum 


24  EXPENSES. 

if  the  owner  devotes  a  little  time  to  personally  supervising  the 
orders  for  supplies  and  repairs ;  thus  when  grain  is  to  be 
ordered  the  stable  servant  should  report  to  the  master,  who 
either  gives  the  order  himself  or  sanctions  the  coachman's 
doing  so.  With  a  knowledge  of  how  long  the  supplies  should 
last,  any  waste  or  ordering  for  commission  will  be  detected. 
If  repairs  are  made  similarly  under  the  control  of  the  owner 
the  bill  for  these  items  will  be  greatly  reduced.  Small  com- 
missions or  perquisites  may  be  allowed,  but  each  dealer 
should  be  told  at  the  outset  that  he  will  lose  the  owner's  pat- 
ronage if  any  commissions  are  given  large  enough  to  be  in 
the  nature  of  a  bribe  for  the  servant  to  act  dishonestly  and  to 
the  advantage  of  the  dealer. 

All  bills  should  be  dated,  fully  itemized  and  rendered 
each  month.  A  better  but  more  troublesome  plan  is  not  to 
allow  bills  to  run  at  all,  but  to  have  an  account  accompany 
each  purchase.  It  is  a  piece  of  heedless  extravagance  to 
allow  bills  to  run  six  months  or  a  year,  and  an  owner  who 
permits  few,  if  any,  bills  to  be  contracted  will  save  himself  a 
large  sum  and  prevent  his  servant  and  tradesman  from  con- 
verting many  honest  dollars  into  dishonest- ones. 

It  will  be  seen  from  the  foregoing  tables  of  running  ex- 
penses that  it  would  be  more  economical,  if  there  be  but  one 
horse,  to  board  him  at  a  livery  stable.  This  will  be  quite  evi- 
dent in  comparing  the  costs,  but  there  are  some  disadvantages. 
The  rate  at  a  public  stable  is  one  dollar  a  day  or  thirty  dol- 
lars per  month,  including  the  care  of  harness  and  carriages. 
By  the  payment  of  ten  dollars  a  week,  instead  of  seven,  or 
forty  dollars  a  month,  a  box  stall  can  be  procured.  To  these 
sums  should  be  added  from  five  to  ten  dollars  per  month  for 
extra  wear  and  tear.  The  bill  for  shoeing  and  the  coach- 


EXPENSES.  25 

man's  wages,  if  one  is  kept  to  do  the  driving,  must  be  added 
to  the  above  amounts.  Livery-stable  keepers  make  no  reduc- 
tion if  an  owner's  coachman  does  the  work.  The  rate  at 
club  stables  is  generally  a  trifle  higher. 

AN  EXAMPLE  OF  THE  RATE  OF  CLUB  CHARGE  FOR  HORSES. 

Full  board,  horses  per  week $8  oo 

"        "      ponies    "       " 7  oo 

Rough  board  horses  and  ponies 3  oo 

Full  board  for  ponies,  owners  to  have  own  men  care  for  them  5  oo 
Rooms  for  private  grooms          .         .         .         .         .         .100 

Table  board  .         .         .         .         .         .         .         .     4  50 

From  this  it  is  evident  that  for  one  year  and  few  horses  it 
is  cheaper  to  keep  them  at  a  club  or  a  public  stable.  But  for 
a  longer  time  and  three  or  more  horses,  it  is  more  economical 
as  well  as  satisfactory  to  equip  and  maintain  a  private  stable. 


CHAPTER    IV. 


STABLES. 

LOCATION,    PLAN,    CONSTRUCTION    AND    FITTINGS. 

THE  choice  of  a  stable  will  be  largely  de- 
termined by  the  number  of  horses  and  carriages 
kept  and  the  location  of  the  owner's  house. 
In  the  suburbs  and  in  the  country  a  place  of 
average  size  generally  includes  a  stable,  and 
the  shelter  for  the  horses  and  carriages  is  de- 
pendent upon  the  desirableness  of  the  dwelling 
rather  than  upon  the  stable  accommodations. 
In  the  cities  the  conditions  are  changed.  If 
the  owner  lives  in  the  heart  of  the  fashionable 
quarter,  it  is  usually  impossible  to  have  the 
stable  an  adjunct  of  the  house,  and  the  nearest 

stable  neighborhood  has 
to  be  searched  for  ac- 
commodations. 

In  the  selection  of 
a  stable  there  are  cer- 
tain desirable  and  req- 
uisite conditions  that  are  common  factors  in  any  form  of 
permanent  shelter  for  horses  and  carriages.  Upon  the  exist- 
ence of  these  conditions  the  convenience,  cleanliness  and 
healthfulness  of  the  stable  are  dependent.  These  desiderata 
are  here  given  paragraphically  in  the  order  of  their  impor- 


LIGHT.  27 

tance,  and  in  the  examination  or  construction  of  a  stable  they 
should  be  the  points  first  considered. 

RELATIVE  LOCATION. 

The  proximity  of  the  stable  to  the  house  not  only  insures 
less  time  being  lost  between  the  two,  but  also  causes  the  stable 
men  to  be  more  circumspect  and  attentive  than  would  be  the 
case  were  the  distance  greater.  The  owner  of  a  stable  which 
is  half  a  mile  or  a  mile  away  is  not  likely  to  appear  in  it  at 
odd  hours,  and  due  preparation  can  be  made  to  have  all  going 
well  at  the  time  of  the  regular  morning  or  periodical  visits  of 
inspection ;  whereas  if  the  stable  is  close  at  hand  various 
members  of  the  family  are  likely  to  visit  it  from  time  to  time, 
and  any  undue  hilarity,  inattention  or  act  of  cruelty  is  likely 
to  be  remarked  upon  by  neighbors.  In  the  country  the 
stable  should  be  placed,  if  possible,  so  that  the  prevailing 
winds  will  not  make  its  presence  objectionable  to  the  occu- 
pants of  the  dwelling. 

LIGHT. 

Daylight  and,  under  some  conditions,  sunshine  are  abso- 
lutely essential  to  the  health  of  the  horse  and  the  preserva- 
tion of  the  carriages  and  harness.  The  windows  and  doors 
opening  on  the  stalls  should  be  so  arranged  that  the  light  can 
penetrate  to  all  parts  of  them  to  such  a  degree  that  a  news- 
paper may  be  read  in  the  least  lighted  corners.  These  open- 
ings, however,  must  be  so  placed  with  relation  to  each  other 
that  no  strong  draughts  will  be  produced.  The  presence  of  sun- 
shine is  as  essential  in  the  coach  house  as  it  is  objectionable 
at  the  head  of  the  stalls.  Each  division  of  the  stable  should 
be  lighted  by  windows  communicating  directly  with  the  open 
air.  Dark  stables  are  to  be  recommended  only  under  spe- 


28  VENTILATION. 

cific  conditions  and  then  solely  for  their  quieting  and  resting 
effects,  such  as  is  desired  for  the  overtired  hunter  and  race 
horse  during  the  short  season  of  their  violent  exertion.  The 
absence  of  light  in  any  part  of  the  stable  promotes  the  action 
of  dampness,  filth  and  disease. 

VENTILATION. 

The  value  of  fresh  air  in  the  stable  is  commensurate  with 
the  importance  given  to  its  influence  on  the  human  system. 
The  organic  life  of  a  horse  is  influenced,  sometimes  imper- 
ceptibly, at  other  times  markedly,  by  the  presence  or  partial 
absence  of  fresh  air.  The  effect  of  the  atmosphere  on  the 
health  of  the  horse  is  of  such  importance  that  some  explicit 
explanation  of  its  influence  is  pertinent  in  considering  the 
subject  of  ventilation : 

The  atmosphere  is  at  one  and  the  same  time  a  purveyor  of  food  to  the 
system  and  a  gatherer  of  waste  particles.  At  each  beat  of  the  heart,  blood  is 
pumped  into  the  capillary  vessels  which  cover  the  cells  of  the  lungs.  While 
passing  through  these  membranous  sacs  it  is  exposed  to  the  action  of  the  air 
and  is  converted  from  venous  into  arterial  blood  by  the  absorption  of  oxygen 
and  the  giving  up  of  carbonic  acid  gas.  The  solid  waste  substances  that 
the  blood  gathers  in  its  passage  through  the  vascular  structure  are  removed  by 
excretion.  An  additional  and  equally  important  function  of  the  atmosphere 
is  to  furnish  heat  to  the  body.  This  warmth  is  produced  by  the  chemical 
combustion  of  the  oxygen  of  the  air  uniting  with  the  carbon  of  the  tissues. 
By  the  action  of  impure  air  the  corpuscles  are  less  highly  vitalized  owing  to 
its  being  heavily  charged  with  carbonic  acid  gas,  hence  it  renders  the  blood 
less  nourishing,  less  purified,  and  reduces  the  amount  of  combustion.  Vi- 
tiated air  by  thus  impoverishing  the  blood,  poisoning  the  system  and  lowering 
the  temperature  of  the  body,  induces  a  state  of  unhealthiness  and  prepares  a 
fertile  soil  for  the  reception  of  every  form  of  disease  germ. 

The  means  of  introducing  fresh  air  into  the  stable  should 
be  so  judiciously  arranged  that  the  cold  air  will  become  tern- 


VENTILATION.  29 

pered  before  reaching  the  horses.  This  cold  air  being 
heavier  than  the  warm  air,  with  which  it  is  to  commingle  and 
partly  replace,  should  be  introduced  from  an  aperture  a  few 
feet  from  the  ground  or  floor.  As  the  object  is  not  only  to 
introduce  fresh  air,  but  also  to  expel  the  foul  air,  some  exit 
of  ample  size  should  be  provided  near  or  in  the  top  of  the 
ceiling.  Such  stress  has  been  laid  upon  good  ventilation, 
that  the  best  means  of  providing  for  it  are  now  very  gen- 
erally understood,  and  all  modern  stables  have  some  provi- 
sion for  establishing  a  free  current  of  air  through  the  build- 
ing. In  the  usual  system  employed  register-like  openings 
are  placed  near  the  floor  for  the  admission  of  fresh  air,  and  a 
similar  but  larger  opening  is  provided  in  a  central  part  of  the 
ceiling  or  in  the  wall  near  the  ceiling.  The  upper  ventilator 
is  connected  with  the  external  air  by  a  shaft  which  extends 
for  a  few  feet  above  the  ridge  of  the  roof  and  is  protected 
from  the  inclemency  of  the  weather  by  either  wooden  or 
glass  louvre  boards. 

Each  compartment  of  the  stable  should  have  its  own 
system  of  ventilation,  and  when  the  construction  is  such  that 
one  room  is  dependent  upon  another  for  the  admission  of 
fresh  air,  it  should  be  the  coach  house  with  the  harness 
room  or  vice  versa;  the  stalls  should  never  be  ventilated 
through  the  harness  room  or  coach  house,  as  the  fumes  of 
ammonia  are  injurious  alike  to  harness  and  carriages. 

Lieutenant-General  Sir  F.  Fitzwygram,  in  his  book  en- 
titled "Horses  and  Stables,"  fourth  edition,  page  21,  thus 
emphasizes  the  necessity  of  providing  good  ventilation  for 
the  stall  part  of  the  stable : 

"  Ventilation  by  means  of  louvre  boards,  along  the  ridge  of  .the  roof, 
should  be  provided  in  every  case,  where  rooms  over  the  stables  do  not  pre- 


30  DRAINAGE. 

vent  its  adoption.  Where  rooms  interfere,  air  shafts  of  two  feet  in  diameter 
should  be  carried  up  through  the  ceiling  and  intervening  rooms  to  the  out- 
side of  the  roof.  A  board  should  be  placed  about  six  inches  below  the  bot- 
tom of  each  air  shaft  to  break  and  diffuse  the  draught ;  and  the  top  of  the 
shaft  should  be  protected  by  a  cowl  or  louvre  boards.  When  merely  a  loft 
intervenes,  it  should  be  removed,  or  at  least  thrown  open  in  the  centre,  and 
proper  ventilation  and  light  thus  secured  through  the  roof.  If,  however,  as 
is  often  the  case  in  towns,  circumstances  or  perhaps  the  covenants  of  the 
lease,  even  though  no  buildings  interfere,  .prohibit  the  making  of  windows, 
apertures  nine  inches  by  six  should  be  opened  in  the  wall  near  the  ceiling 
on  both  sides.  These  apertures  may  be  protected  by  an  iron  grating  to 
break  the  draught.  If  the  owner  objects  to  the  expense  of  any  such  altera- 
tions, he  may  at  least  have  ventilating  panes  put  in  the  windows  and  gratings 
in  the  doors,  or  insist  on  the  windows  being  left  partially  open  both  by  day 
and  night.  The  horses'  coats  may  suffer  from  the  amount  of  air  thus  rudely 
introduced  by  this  latter  plan,  but  their  health  will  improve." 

DRAINAGE. 

The  drainage  and  other  sanitary  conditions  are  next  in 
importance.  The  flooring  of  the  stable  should  be  above  the 
level  of  the  ground  outside,  and  it  is  advisable  to  have  an  air 
space  under  the  building,  either  open  or  enclosed.  A  free 
conduit  from  the  stalls,  wash-stands  and  troughs,  terminating 
in  a  cesspool  or  sewer  pipe,  is  necessary  for  the  removal  of 
refuse,  dirt,  etc.  These  drains  should  be  so  constructed  that 
they  can  be  thoroughly  cleaned  by  flushing  and  with  brooms, 
etc.  The  drain  should  run  for  some  distance  on  the  surface, 
be  U-shaped  in  form  and  made  of  some  non-porous  material 
such  as  tile,  chiselled  stone  or  wrought  iron.  (Cast-iron 
drains  do  not  stand  rough  wear  and  tear,  and  are  constantly 
breaking.)  If  the  drains  are  almost  closed  at  the  top  they 
become  choked,  and,  if  they  receive  proper  attention,  are  a 
source  of  constant  care. 


DRAINAGE. 


31 


FIG.    I. 


FIG.    2, 


The  stall  drain  should  be  straight  and  have  a  fall  of  one 
inch  from  within  three  feet  six  of  the  head  of  the  stall  to 
the  gutter  at  the  rear,  which  runs  at  right  angles  with  the 
stall  drain.  (See  Fig.  i.)  The  former  should  be  covered 
with  a  perforated  lid  to  prevent  the  straw  and  other  obstruc- 
tions blocking  the  passage ;  and  the  latter  with  a  wooden 
plank  hinged  to  the  floor.  (See  Fig.  2.)  It  is  essential  that 


32  ASPECT  AND  SITE. 

there  should  be  a  trap  at  the  junction  of  the  surface  with  the 
underground  drain  to  prevent  the  poisonous  gases  from  the 
sewer  pipe  or  cesspool  escaping  into  the  stable.  A  bell  trap 
is  the  simplest  and  best  for  this  purpose. 

ASPECT. 

In  cities  the  question  of  aspect  and  site  is  usually  subsid- 
iary to  those  of  purse  and  convenience,  but  when  there  is  not 
much  difference  in  other  respects  it  will  be  found  desirable, 
if  the  building  is  limited  to  winter  use,  to  choose  one  in 
which  the  rear  of  the  stalls  has  a  southern  exposure.  For 
all  the  year  around  an  eastern  or  western  aspect  is  to  be 
preferred  to  one  which  is  either  very  cold  and  cheerless  in 
winter  or  very  hot  during  the  summer  months.  The  com- 
fort of  the  horse  is  so  greatly  influenced  by  the  conditions 
resulting  from  the  position  of  his  stall  that  the  owner  will  be 
repaid  for  having  it  placed  as  favorably  as  circumstances  ad- 
mit by  the  superior  physical  condition  of  his  horse  on  ex- 
tremely hot  or  cold  days. 

SITE. 

The  situation  of  the  stable,  especially  in  the  country, 
will  influence  the  shape  of  the  figures  before  as  well  as  after 
the  decimal  point  in  the  monthly  bills.  A  stable  placed  on 
the  northern  side  of  a  hill  will  cost  more  to"  heat  than  one 
exposed  to  the  sun ;  and  a  building  surrounded  by  heavy 
foliage  will  be  damp  and  injurious  to  horses,  harness  and 
carriages.  A  small  amount  of  continual  dampness  will  cause 
important  joints  and  handsome  panels  to  warp,  and  the  de- 
struction of  springs  and  upholstery  will  be  hastened.  With 
the  horses  the  constant  presence  of  moisture  in  or  about  a 
stable  will  be  a  source  of  chronic  coughs  and  colds.  In  the 


WATER   SUPPLY.  33 

country,  therefore,  choose  a  stable  or  the  site  for  one  on  the 
eastern  or  western  side  of  a  hill  or  slight  elevation.  The  soil 
should  be  of  a  gravelly  or  sandy  nature. 

In  reference  to  dampness,  Charles  Brindley,  writing  under 
the  pseudonym  of  "  Harry  Hieover,"  in  the  "  Pocket  and  the 
Stud,"  pages  46,  47,  says  : 

"  I  have  frequently  heard  people  complain  of  the  damp  of  their  stables, 
and  water  hanging  on  the  walls.  In  almost  every  case  this  dampness  is  to  be 
got  rid  of,  with  the  exception  of,  in  some  cases,  the  water  on  the  walls.  This 
sometimes  arises  in  stables  near  the  seacoast  from  the  mortar  having  been 
made  with  sea  sand  instead  of  properly  dried  material.  Such  walls  will  uni- 
versally give  in  damp  weather,  or,  indeed,  when  warmed  by  the  heat  of  the 
horses.  In  almost  all  other  cases  dampness  in  stables  arises  either  from 
ground  damp  or  want  of  ventilation.  Of  this  any  man  may  judge  from  dif- 
ferent circumstances,  and  generally  speaking  the  remedy  need  not  be  at- 
tended with  any  very  serious  expense ;  drainage  and  raising  the  floor  will 
mostly  have  the  effect  in  one  instance,  and  making  proper  vents  for  the 
heated  vapor  to  escape  near  the  roof  will  also  nearly  always  be  sufficient  in 
the  other.  Where  a  stable  has  the  defect  described  it  should  be  remedied  at 
once  or  the  horses  taken  out  of  it,  for  if  they  are  not,  sickness  will,  sooner 
or  later,  cause  double  the  expense  of  the  remedy." 

WATER    SUPPLY. 

An  ample  water  supply  is  very  necessary,  as  water  is  so 
largely  employed  in  almost  all  parts  of  the  stable  for  clean- 
ing. COLD-WATER  mains  should  run  to  the  stall  part,  the 
wash-stand  and  cleaning  room.  These  supplies  should  not 
be  less  than  inch  pipe  and  in  each  case  should  terminate  in  a 
faucet  with  a  thread  for  the  attachment  of  a  hose.  HOT- 
WATER  pipes  should  be  carried  to  the  stall  part  for  use  in 
mixing  mashes  and  to  the  cleaning  room  for  tempering  the 
water  used  on  harness  and  carriages,  but  not  to  the  wash- 
stand,  as  the  temptation  is  then  to  use  it  direct  for  the  car- 


34 


HEATING, 


riages.     Hot-water  faucets  should  not  have  threads  for  at- 
taching a  hose. 


FIG.    3. 
HEATING. 

Whatever  system  of  heating  is  installed,  the  pipes  or  out- 
lets should  be  limited  to  the  coach  house,  harness  room, 
cleaning  room  and  servants'  room.  The  stall  part  should 
not  be  artificially  warmed.  Horses  in  warm  stables  are  more 
subject  to  colds,  in  consequence  of  the  sudden  change  in  tem- 
perature, than  horses  in  cold  stables.  Although  the  latter 
are  often  unnecessarily  uncomfortable,  they  remain  in  good 
health.  The  heating  fixtures  in  the  coach  house  should  be  so 


INTERIOR   DIVISIONS. 


35 


placed  that  the  warm  air  will  be  diffused  and  not  directed 
against  or  under  any  of  the  vehicles.  A  moderate  temperature 
is  desirable  in  the  coach  house,  as  sudden  changes  injure  the 
highly  finished  surfaces  of  carriages. 

INTERIOR    DIVISIONS. 

The  general  arrangement  of  the  various  divisions  of  a 
stable   should   be   so  disposed    that  the  work  of  putting  a 


"PLAN     tslff   4. 

A  —  Entrance  and  wash-stand.     B  —  Coach  houses. 


•PL.AN    NSfc. 
A  —  Entrance   and  coach  house.     B  —  Wash-stand. 


C  — Harness  room.  D  — Cleaning  room.  E— Lav-  C  —  Harness  room.  D  —  Cleaning  room.  E  — Lava- 
atory.  F-Passageway  behind  stalls.  G  — Hay-  tory.  F  —  Hay-chute.  G  — Straw-chute.  H  — Grain- 
chute.  H  — Straw-chute.  I —Grain-chutes.  J—  chutes.  I  — Mixing  trough.  K— Stalls.  L— Boxes 
Mixing  trough.  K  — Boxes.  L  — Stalls. 


36  THE    COACH  HOUSE. 

horse  in  or  taking  him  out  of  a  carriage  may  be  performed 
with  the  minimum  amount  of  time  and  labor.  As  this  part 
of  the  stable  work  is  carried  on  systematically  in  its  progress- 
ive stages  the  relative  position  of  the  stall  room,  cleaning 
room,  harness  room  and  coach  house  to  each  other  has  be- 
come under  ordinary  conditions  a  recognized  plan,  admit- 
ting of  no  change  without  a  sacrifice  of  the  practical  advan- 
tages. (See  Plans  i  and  2  shown  on  page  35.)  The  horse  is 
made  ready  in  the  stall  room  and  is  then  led  in  front  of  the 
harness  and  cleaning  room,  from  either  of  which  the  harness 
may  be  brought  and  placed  on  the  horse ;  he  is  then  led 
into  the  coach  house  and  placed  before  the 
desired  carriage.  When  returning  to  the 
stable  the  animal  is  "taken  out"  and  is  again 
brought  in  front  of  the  harness  and  cleaning 
rooms ;  into  the  latter  the  harness  is  taken, 
and  the  horse  is  then  led  into  the  stall  room. 
By  this  arrangement  it  will  be  seen  that  the 
horse  is  taken  in  a  straight  line  from  the 
stall  room  to  the  coach  house  or  vice  versa, 
and  that  the  harness  suffers  no  unnecessary 
handling.  Thus  wear  and  tear  and  time  are 
saved  at  no  additional  expense. 

THE    COACH    HOUSE. 

The  coach  house  of  an  average  sized 
stable  should  be  fourteen  feet  or  more  in 
height,  and  contain  a  surface  area  of  about 
seven  hundred  square  feet.  When  a  wash- 
stand  for  carriages  is  included  in  the  coach 
FIG.  4.  house,  the  floor  area  should  be  increased  to 


THE    COACH  HOUSE. 


37 


a  thousand  square  feet.  Brick  or  quadrilled  cement  makes  a 
better  floor  than  wood,  as  one  made  of  either  of  the  former 
materials  can  be  cleaned  with  the  hose.  It  is  of  the  greatest 
importance  that  the  coach  house  should  be  dry,  warm  and 
well  ventilated,  and  the  windows  and  doors  sufficiently  tight 
to  keep  out  dust  and  dampness.  The  carriages  should  be 
protected  from  the  direct  rays  of  the  sun  by  blinds ;  unless 


FIG.  5. 

POLE    FOR   CARRIAGE   ROBE. 


there  is  a  special  harness  and  livery  room,  closets  with  glass 
doors  should  be  provided  in  the  carriage  house.  Brackets 
of  wood  or  iron,  especially  designed  for  their  respective 
purposes,  are  cheap  luxuries  and  indispensable  in  the  care 
of  carnage  poles  and  robes.  If  the  harness  cases  are  made 
very  tight  they  serve  tolerably  well,  but  when  economy  of 
space  or  money  does  not  have  to  be  too  carefully  considered, 
it  is  preferable  to  have  the  harness  kept  in  a  room  shut  off  by 
doors  from  other  parts  of  the  stable.  Poles  for  carriage 
robes  are  necessary.  They  should  be  from  two  to  three 
inches  in  diameter,  smoothly  finished  and  varnished.  When 
space  is  limited,  it  is  convenient  to  have  these  poles  hung 
from  pulleys  so  that  they  may  be  drawn  up  out  of  the  way. 


38  THE  HARNESS  ROOM. 

THE    WASH    ROOM    OR    STAND. 

The  wash  room  or  stand  should  be  removed  as  far  as 
possible  from  the  carriages  and  harness.  A  flooring  of  brick, 
asphalt,  concrete  or  cement  is  better  than  one  of  wood,  and 
should  have  a  good  pitch  to  some  free  conduit  for  the  waste 
water.  At  some  central  point  there  should  be  placed  a  cold- 
water  faucet,  a  hose  bracket,  a  chamois  bracket,  a  wringer 
and  a  sponge  rack.  The  wash-stand  should  be  well  lighted 
on  all  sides,  if  possible,  by  windows,  and  artificially  lighted 
at  night  or  on  dark  days,  as  it  is  manifestly  unfair  to  expect 
a  servant  to  clean  a  vehicle  in  the  dark  or  with  the  light  only 
on  one  side.  The  objection  to  having  a  wash-stand  in  the 
coach  house  is  that  the  dampness  occasioned  by  the  con- 
stant use  of  water  injures  the  woodwork  of  the  vehicles,  mil- 
dews the  leather  and  tarnishes  the  metal  work. 

THE    HARNESS    ROOM. 

The  harness  room  should  be  so  designed  that  the  wall 
surface  will  be  unbroken  except  by  a  window  at  one  end  and 
a  door  at  the  other  or  on  the  side.  The  sheathing  should 
be  of  hard  wood,  tongued  and  grooved,  to  keep  out  dust.  It 
is  desirable  to  have  the  floor  of  oak.  An  open  fireplace  or 
provision  for  a  stove  is  very  necessary  in  order  to  protect  the 
leather  from  mildew,  the  mountings  from  tarnishing,  and  the 
bits  and  other  steel  from  becoming  rusty  in  damp  weather. 
Harness  cases  are  unnecessary,  except  for  the  purpose  of 
storing  harness.  Such  cases  do  not  afford  a  complete  pro- 
tection against  dampness.  The  brackets  should  be  preferably 
of  wood.  Brackets  made  of  the  latter  material  are  less  de- 
structive than  those  made  of  iron  (see  figs.  13-16.) 


INTERIOR  OF   HARNESS   ROOM. 


THE    WASH-STAND. 


39 


FIG.  6. 
HOSE  BRACKET. 


FIG.  7. 
WATER  BUCKET. 


FIG.    8. 
WHEEL  JACK. 


FIG.    9. 
DRAIN    FOR    WASH-STAND. 


40 


THE   WASH-STAND. 


FIG.  10. 

CHAMOIS    BRACKET. 


FIG.    II. 
WRINGER. 


FIG.     12. 
SPONGE  RACK. 


THE  HARNESS  ROOM. 


41 


FIG.  14. 
BRIDLE  BRACKET. 


FIG.  13. 
REIN  BRACKET 


FIG.  15. 
COLLAR  BRACKET. 


FIG.  1 6. 
SADDLE  BRACKET. 


THE  HARNESS  ROOM. 


FIG.    17. 
SINGLE    BRACKET    FOR    HARNESS. 


FIG.    1 8. 
WHIP   RACK. 


THE  HARNESS  ROOM. 


43 


FIG.    19. 


FIG.    20. 


44  THE    CLEANING  ROOM. 

When  the  separate  fixtures  shown  in  Figs.  13,  14, 15  and 
1 6  are  used  the  top  of  the  collar  bracket  (Fig.  15)  should  be 
eight  feet  from  the  bottom  of  the  floor  in  order  to  have  the 
ends  of  the  traces  clear  the  floor.  The  saddle  bracket  (Fig.  16) 
should  be  five  feet  six  inches ;  the  bridle  bracket  (Fig.  14), 
four  feet  nine.  The  fixtures  for  each  set  of  harness  should 
be  two  feet  one  inch  apart.  This  measurement  is  taken 
from  the  centre  of  one  bracket  to  the  centre  of  the  corre- 
sponding one.  The  rein  bracket  (Fig.  13)  is  placed  between 
two  sets  of  brackets  six  feet  ten  inches  from  the  floor. 

When  the  single  bracket  (Fig.  1 7)  is  used  the  distance  from 
the  top  of  the  fixture  to  the  ground  should  be  seven  feet. 
It  is  placed  lower  than  the  highest  of  the  separate  fixtures 
for  the  reason  that  it  is  more  difficult  to  reach  with  the  bridle 
than  with  the  collar.  If  the  single  bracket  is  placed  as  di- 
rected it  will  be  found  sufficiently  high  to  keep  the  traces  of 
a  single  set  of  harness  free  from  the  ground,  but  it  necessitates 
the  traces  of  a  pair-horse  harness  being  folded  up.  The  dis- 
tance between  the  centres  of  the  single  brackets  should  be  two 
feet. 

Saddle,  robe  and  whip  racks  (Figs.  5,  18,  19,  20)  will 
be  required,  and  unless  there  be  a  separate  room  for  livery, 
cases  against  the  wall  of  this  room  will  be  found  the  most 
convenient  substitute.  A  steel  case,  five  inches  deep,  two  to 
four  feet  square,  lined  with  green  baize  and  protected  by 
glass  doors,  will  reduce  the  amount  of  labor  required  in 
keeping  the  steels  burnished. 

THE    CLEANING    ROOM. 

A  cleaning  room  is  a  necessity  in  all  large  establish- 
ments, and  the  writer  believes  one  is  an  economy  in  stables 


THE    CLEANING   ROOM. 


45 


FIG.  21. 

HARNESS  HOOK  WITH 
CHAIN. 


FIG.    22. 

HARNESS  HOOK  WITH 
STRAP. 


46 


THE    CLEANING  ROOM. 


FIG.  23. 

CLEANING   SINK. 


THE   STALLS.  47 

of  all  sizes.  For  a  stable  of  six  or 
more  horses, the  cleaning  room  should 
not  be  less  than  ten  by  twelve  feet. 
If  it  can  be  so  placed  as  to  have  a 
door  opening  into  the  coach  house  FIG-  24- 

or  wash-stand  at  one  end,  and  another  into  the  harness 
room  on  the  side,  and  a  window  at  the  other  end,  it  will 
be  situated  to  the  best  advantage.  It  should  have  such  fix- 
tures as  a  wash-sink,  harness  hook  suspended  from  the  ceil- 
ing, and  wooden  pegs  on  which  to  hang  the  harness  before 
and  after  it  is  cleaned.  Open  shelves  placed  at  either  end  of 
the  room  are  necessary  for  pastes,  brushes  and  grooming 
articles,  if  the  latter  are  kept  in  the  room.  A  folding  table 
(for  use  in  polishing  of  small  articles)  should  be  placed  in 
front  of  the  window.  A  room  of  this  kind  is  constantly  in 
use  and  concentrates  the  unavoidable  disorder. 

THE    STALLS. 

The  stalls  should  measure,  exclusive  of  the  heelpost, 
nine  or  ten  feet  in  length  and  five  feet  or  five  feet  six  inches 
in  width.  The  partitions  should  be  about  four  feet  six  inches 
high  and  made  of  oak,  deal  or  elm,  set  perpendicularly. 
These  partitions  should  be  surmounted  by  an  iron  railing 
two  feet  high  and  extending  at  least  four  feet  back  to  prevent 
the  horses  from  annoying  one  another.  It  is  desirable  to 
have  this  railing  made  of  perpendicular  bars.  (See  Fig.  25.) 
When  thus  constructed  a  horse  cannot  get  his  lip  or  tongue 
caught  in  them,  and  the  railing  is  more  readily  kept  clean. 
By  carrying  this  grating  the  full  length  of  the  partition  the 
chances  of  a  horse's  kicking  over  and  becoming  caught  on 
the  dividing  woodwork  is  eliminated.  If  this  precaution  is 


48 


THE  STALLS. 


not  taken  the  heelpost  should  not  extend  above  the  parti- 
tion or  be  surmounted  by  a  ball  or  other  finial,  as  such  pro- 
jections render  the  work  of  extricating  a  horse  that  has 
kicked  over  the  woodwork  exceedingly  difficult,  and  often  the 
post  has  to  be  cut  off  before  it  can  be  accomplished.  The 
heelpost  should  always  be  round. 

Some  authorities  advise  leaving  a  small  opening  between 
the  stalls,  at  the  head  of  and  under  the  partition,  in  order  to 
provide  a  circuit  of  ventilation;  this  plan,  in  the  author's 


FIG.  25, 


FIG.    26. 


FIG.    27, 


FIG.    28. 


50  THE  STALLS. 

opinion,  is  open  to  the  serious  objection  of  being  the  cause 
of  dangerous  draughts  in  extremely  cold  weather  or  when  the 
horse  is  very  hot. 

It  is  of  the  utmost  importance  that  adequate  means  be 
made  for  keeping  the  bedding  as  dry  as  possible,  and  the 
stalls  free  from  odor  by  good  drainage.  Any  great  difference 
in  the  plane  of  the  floor  is  injurious  to  the  horse  in  conse- 
quence of  displacing  the  centre  of  gravity,  and  should  there- 
fore be  avoided.  The  most  practical  method  is  to  have  the 
under  flooring  slope  toward  the  rear  of  the  stall,  giving  it  a 
grade  of  between  one  and  two  inches.  (See  Fig.  26.)  Over 
this  floor  should  be  laid  slats  of  wood  so  finished  off  on  the 
under  side  as  to  partly  counteract  the  grade  of  the  under 
flooring.  (See  Fig.  27.)  These  slats  should  be  about  two 
inches  and  a  half  thick  and  three  inches  broad.  They  may 
be  of  either  soft  or  hard  wood;  the  latter  is  more  economical, 
but  the  former  is  considered  by  some  owners  to  be  better  for 
the  horses'  feet.  If  the  slats  are  strapped  together  on  the 
under  side  with  iron  strips,  leaving  a  space  of  half  an  inch 
between  each  slat,  the  framework  can  be  turned  back  or 
removed  into  the  open  air  after  having  been  thoroughly 
washed.  (See  Fig.  28.)  The  under  flooring  is  thereby  ex- 
posed, and  it  can  be  thoroughly  cleaned  while  the  slats  are 
being  dried  in  the  sunshine. 

When  the  expense  is  not  a 
too  serious  objection  a  very 
hard,  durable  brick,  of  either  im- 
ported or  domestic  manufacture, 
is  largely  employed.  A  wrought- 
FIG.  29.  iron  drain  running  lengthwise 

and  flush  with  the  surface  of  the  bricks  serves  to  drain  the 


THE  LOOSE  BOX.  51 

stall.  A  cheap  substitute  for  bricks  is  cement,  which  after 
being  put  down  is  quadrilled.  Many  of  the  patented  devices 
are  often  combined  with  the  different  forms  of  flooring.  The 
writer's  preference  in  the  matter  of  flooring  is  for  that  part 
of  the  stall  on  which  the  horse  stands  to  be  of  wood.  To 
make  any  of  the  other  materials  comfortable  for  the  horse 
an  extravagant  amount  of  bedding  is  required,  unless  peat 
moss  is  used. 

William  Day,  the  eminent  English  race-horse  trainer, 
advocates  the  use  of  the  old-fashioned  paving  stone  laid 
down  with  a  proper  pitch  ;  however,  his  thorough  and  con- 
scientious supervision  renders  the  use  of  such  simple  methods 
practicable,  which  with  less  careful  attention  would  be  the 
source  of  constant  annoyance.  Earth  floors  are  favored  by 
some  owners,  but  their  use  is  open  to  the  same  objection  as 
that  of  cobblestones.  Complicated  arrangements,  or  those 
that  require  much  time  or  labor  on  the  part  of  the  attendant, 
are  undesirable  and  ineffective  for  obvious  reasons. 

THE    LOOSE    BOX. 

Loose  boxes  are  considered  better  for  horses  than  stalls. 
The  original  outlay  is  not  very  much  greater,  but  they  are 
more  costly  to  bed  down  ;  twice  as  much  straw  being  required, 
and  its  consumption  is  proportionately  more  rapid  owing  to 
the  greater  soiling  surface  offered,  which  renders  the  drainage 
less  perfect.  For  ordinary  purposes  a  box  measuring  10  x  12 
is  large  enough.  The  doors  should  either  slide  laterally  on 
the  outside  or  open  outward ;  never  into  the  boxes,  as  the 
door  could  not  be  opened  should  a  horse  lie  against  it.  The 
boxes  which  are  intended  for  use  in  case  of  sickness  should 
be  somewhat  larger  (12  x  14  or  16  feet),  in  order  to  allow 


52 


PASSAGE  WAY  BEHIND   STALLS. 


FIG.    30. 

room  for  the  veterinary  surgeon  and  stable  attendants  to 
move  about.  These  boxes  should  be  distinctly  separate 
from  the  other  accommodations  of  the  horses,  and  furnished 
with  a  system  of  ventilation  direct  with  the  open  air.  A 
double  door,  consisting  of  an  upper  and  lower  half,  is  often 
useful  for  such  boxes. 


PASSAGEWAY    BEHIND    STALLS. 

The  space  behind  the  stalls  and  boxes  should  be  at  least 
ten  feet  in  width  to  allow  the  horse  ample  space  in  which  to 
turn.  The  flooring  should  be  of  brick  or  cement  quadrilled 
to  give  the  horse  a  good  footing  while  being  dressed  or  in 


CHUTES. 


53 


10    FT. 


f 


- 


B 


I 


y 


H 


H 


T^L-ANl 
PLAN    i. 

ELEVATION   OF   HAY   AND   STRAW 

CHUTE.  A. 

A.  Hay-chute.  B. 

B.  Straw-chute. 

C  and  D.    Doors  sliding  into  a  tight  C. 

pocket  behind  sheathing  E.  D. 

H.    Pulley  cords  with  weights  on  in-  E. 
side  of  sheathing  E  for  equal- 
izing weight  of  doors  C  and  F. 
D.  G. 


••PLAN   N«a. 
PLAN    2. 

SECTION   OF   GRAIN- CHUTE. 

Chute. 

Inclined  board  by  which  grain  is 

directed  into  middle  of  bin  D. 
Slide  to  shut  off  supply  of  grain. 
Delivery  bin. 
Inclined  boards  at  all  corners  to 

facilitate  cleaning. 
Hinged  lid  of  bin. 
Open  shelves  for  bandages,  brushes, 

liniments,  etc. 


54  DOORS  AND   STALL    WINDOWS. 

passing  in  or  out.  The  surface  of  a  wooden  floor  soon  be- 
comes very  slippery.  Against  the  wall  of  this  passage  there 
should  be  a  faucet  to  which  a  hose  can  be  attached  for  sup- 
plying water  to  the  horses  and  for  washing  out  the  stalls. 
Blanket  poles,  pillar  reins,  sponge  and  brush  racks  should 
also  be  provided.  At  one  end  of  this  passageway  a  section 
the  size  of  a  stall  should  be  fitted  with  shoots  for  fodder  and 
bedding  somewhat  as  shown  in  Plans  i  and  2. 

DOORS. 

All  doors  through  which  the  horses  have  to  pass  should 
be  free  from  projecting  latches,  etc.  In  width  they  should  be 
not  less  than  four  feet,  and  seven  feet  six  inches  high ;  eight 
or  nine  feet  is  preferable. 

STALL    WINDOWS. 

The  windows  at  the  heads  of  stalls  should  be  so  arranged 
that  the  horses  can  look  out,  but  when  thus  placed  some  pro- 
vision must  be  made  either  on  the  inside  or  outside  to  pre- 
vent the  bright  sunlight  from  shining  on  the  horse's  eyes. 
Low  windows  without  curtains  or  hoods  are  especially  ob- 
jectionable in  ordinary  stalls,  as  the  horses  are  usually  so 
fastened  that  it  is  impossible  for  them  to  avoid  this  injurious 
annoyance.  High  windows,  nine  feet  from  the  floor,  are 
better  than  the  low  ones,  if  no  protection  is  afforded.  The 
writer  believes  a  horse's  mind  is  kept  keener  when  he  is  thus 
allowed  to  see  passing  objects  than  when  tied  against  a  blank 
wall ;  and  his  eyesight  is  certainly  not  strained  as  is  that 
of  a  horse  which  is  taken  from  a  dark  stall  into  the  bright 
daylight. 


FLY  SCREENS. 


55 


The  various  forms  of  window  construction  and  windows 
is  described  by  Sir  Fitzwygram  as  follows  : 

"  Four  sorts  of  windows  are  commonly  used  in  stables  of  the  better  class, 
namely  :  First,  the  ordinary  sash  windows,  which,  if  furnished  with  ropes  and 
pulleys,  so  as  to  let  down  easily  from  the  top,  answer  well  enough.  They  are, 
however,  open  to  the  objection  that  a  direct  draught  may  come  on  the 
horses,  and  on  this  account  it  is  often  necessary  to  close  them  altogether  at 
night  and  in  cold,  windy  weather.  A  couple  of  panes  of  perforated  glass  are 

useful  in  such  windows.  Second,  windows 
which  turn  on  a  pivot  in  the  centre.  These 
may  be  set  open  to  any  required  degree.  They 
are  the  cheapest  construction  and  answer  well 
enough,  especially  where  many  small  windows 
are  used ;  but  they  are  in  some  degree  open 
to  the  objection  of  causing  a  direct  draught  on 
the  horses.  Third,  windows  which  do  not  open 
wholly,  but  are  furnished  with  glass  louvres,  are 
used  in  some  stables.  They  are  objectionable 
inasmuch  as  they  are  not  calculated  to  admit  a 
sufficient  amount  of  air.  Fourth,  windows 
working  on  hinges  at  the  bottom,  as  shown  in 
plan  annexed,  may  be  made  to  open  to  any 
required  degree.  They  offer  every  advantage. 
They  afford  ample  ventilation,  yet  do  not  throw 

a  direct  draught  on  the  horses.  They  should  be  blocked  so  as  to  prevent 
their  closing  within  six  inches  of  the  top.  As  no  direct  draught  can  come 
on  the  horses  when  they  are  closed  to  this  degree,  the  author  thinks  that 
no  injurious  result  can  ever  arise  from  their  being  left  open  to  the  above 
degree  at  all  times  and  at  all  seasons.  There  should  be  a  window  over 
the  head  of  each  horse  two  feet  six  inches  in  width  and  three  feet  in 
height." 

FLY    SCREENS. 

Charles  Brindley,  in  "The  Pocket  and  the  Stud,"  remarks  : 

"  I  always  had  a  movable  frame  made  to  fit  the  window  on  the  inside ; 

on  this  I  stretched  the  same  kind  of  open  material  that  is  used  for  meat  safes ; 


FIG.  31 


56  HAYRACKS  AND  MANGERS. 

the  windows  can  then  be  left  open  and  those  positive  pests  to  a  stable  in  sum- 
mer, the  flies,  are  thus  excluded.  But  I  went  a  little  further  than  this,  and,  as 
the  expense  is  not  more  than  twenty  shillings  once  in  half  as  many  years,  I  ven- 
ture to  recommend  it.  I  had  also  a  framed  door  on  which  the  same  mate- 
rial as  that  for  the  extra  window  frames  was  stretched.  This  opened  the  re- 
verse way  to  the  usual  stable  door.  It  was  made  to  take  on  and  off  the 
hinges,  so  that  in  hot  weather  the  close  door  could  be  fastened  open  and  the 
stable  kept  cool.  This,  of  course,  can  only  be  done  where  the  stable  is  in  a 
secure  situation ;  but  where  it  can,  it  is  a  great  convenience  at  times  in  ex- 
tremely hot  weather." 

HAYRACKS. 

The  old-fashioned  habit  of  placing  the  hayrack  high 
above  the  horses' heads  has  been  almost  entirely  discontinued, 
as  it  compelled  the  horse  to  eat  in  an  unnatural  and  con- 
strained position.  In  addition,  it  had  the  more  serious  fault 
of  causing  the  horse's  eyesight  to  be  endangered  by  the  pro- 
jecting spears  of  hay.  If  the  hay  is  not  chopped  up  into 
chaff,  it  is  better  to  place  it  on  the  floor.  The  objection  to  a 
low  rack  is  that  the  horse  may  get  his  foot  over  it  and  become 
injured  in  trying  to  free  himself.  An  occasional  accident  of 
this  nature  is  more  expensive  than  the  possible  daily  waste 
of  a  small  amount  of  hay  caused  by  the  horse  trampling  it 
under  foot. 

MANGERS. 

Mangers  have  been  greatly  improved  during  the  last  few 
years,  and  well-constructed  ones  are  now  offered  at  almost 
half  the  price  asked  a  few  years  ago  for  the  old  clumsy  pat- 
terns. They  should  be  of  a  non-porous  material,  made  with- 
out angles  on  the  inside  and  with  an  opening  in  the  bottom 
so  that  they  can  be  washed  out.  The  so-called  "  slow  feed- 
ing "  patterns  are  not  especially  desirable  for  general  use,  as 
they  do  not  actually  prevent  the  horse  from  bolting  his  food. 


MANGERS. 


57 


FIG.    32. 
WITH    WIDE    FOOD    GUARD    IN    FRONT. 


FIG.    33. 


58  METAL   FITTINGS,   LATCHES,   LOCKS,   ETC. 

Those  made  with  a  flange  on  the  inside  of  the  upper  edge 
prevent  the  scattering  of  grain.  (See  Fig.  32.)  Fittings 
are  made  with  the  manger  and  hayrack  combined  (see  Fig. 
33),  but  are  undesirable,  owing  to  the  space  underneath, 
which  makes  it  possible  for  a  horse  to  get  caught  in 
getting  up. 

METAL    FITTINGS. 

If  the  sum  devoted  to  the  maintenance  of  a  stable  is 
small  in  proportion  to  the  number  of  horses  kept,  it  is  advis- 
able to  avoid  the  use  of  much  brass  work,  as  this  metal  re- 
quires an  extravagant  amount  of  time  and  labor  to  keep  it  in 
good  condition,  and  an  appearance  of  neatness  can  be  much 
more  economically  effected  by  the  use  of  galvanized  or 
painted  iron.  The  latter  may  be  of  some  chosen  stable  color, 
such  as  red,  green,  blue  or  yellow,  or  a  combination  of  any  of 
these  colors.  A  few  moments'  time  on  rainy  days  with  a  pot 
and  brush  will  enable  the  stable  servants  to  obtain  results 
that  would  require  as  many  moments  each  day  if  the  metal 

parts  were  of  brass.  If  iron  is 
4m  used,  the  railings  on  stall  par- 
titions, the  mangers,  the  hinges, 
pillar- rein  rings,  harness  hooks, 
etc.,  should  be  painted. 


LATCHES,  LOCKS,  ETC. 

JMj  All    latches,    locks,    bolts, 

ring  and  hinges  should  be  of 
the  simplest  design  and  so  ar- 
FIG-  34-  ranged  that  they  offer  no  pro- 

jecting surfaces  on  which  a  horse  can  injure  himself.    Spring 
latches  and  bolts  are  not  desirable,   as  any  failure  on  the 


HAY  AND    GRAIN  LOFT.  59 

part  of  the  groom  to  properly  fasten  the  horses  or  doors  is 
blamed  on  the  mechanism  of  the  locks,  snaps,  etc.  A 
plain,  simple  catch  which  requires  the  attention  of  the 
attendant  is  the  most  durable,  effective  and  inexpensive. 
(See  Fig.  34.)  A  couple  of  round  poles  set  up  vertically  on 
either  side  of  the  doorway  and  made  to  revolve  on  pins 
will  prevent  the  horse  from  being  injured  in  passing  through 
the  opening,  for  the  reason  that  should  the  animal  come 
in  contact  with  either  side  of  the  doorway  the  surface  will 
turn  in  the  direction  the  horse  is  moving.  In  old  stables  a 
thorough  examination  of  the  walls  and  posts  should  be  made 
for  projecting  hooks  and  nails ;  and  when  and  wherever 
found  they  should  be  immediately  removed. 

HAY    AND    GRAIN    LOFT. 

The  hayloft  is  best  located  when  over  the  horses'  heads. 
When  thus  situated  it  insures  quiet  and  acts  as  a  noncon- 
ductor of  heat  and  cold.  The  flooring  should  be  double 
boarded.  It  is  a  great  nuisance  to  have  the  loft  so  placed 
that  the  hay  has  to  be  carried  through  a  passage  to  the 
chute  or  has  to  be  dropped  into  the  stall  part.  Chutes  for 
hay  and  straw,  measuring  two  feet  deep  and  four  feet  wide, 
with  a  sliding  door  the  full  width,  should  extend  from  the 
loft  to  the  passage  back  of  the  stalls.  The  bins  for  grain 
should  deliver  directly  into  the  same  part.  The  bottoms  of 
these  bins  should  slope  from  the  four  sides  to  the  centre  with 
a  pitch  of  four  inches  to  the  foot.  As  a  protection  against 
the  ravages  of  mice,  rats,  rodents  and  other  grain-devouring 
creatures,  these  boxes  and  the  shafts  should  be  lined  with 
tin.  Extending  from  the  top  of  the  loft  door  there  should 
be  a  beam  upon  which  a  block  and  tackle  can  be  fastened  for 


60  SERVANTS'   ACCOMMODATIONS,   PADDOCK. 

the  purpose  of  hoisting  hay,  straw  and  grain  into  the  build- 
ing. Without  this  convenience  the  exterior  of  the  stable 
about  the  loft  door  is  apt  to  be  disfigured  by  the  bumping  of 
the  bale  sticks. 

SERVANTS'  ACCOMMODATIONS. 

The  room  or  rooms  for  servants  in  the  upper  part  of  the 
stable  ought  not  to  be  less  than  10  x  12  feet.  In  the  city 
many  stables  are  furnished  with  apartments  consisting  of  the 
necessary  rooms  and  equipped  with  stationary  household 
furnishings  such  as  would  be  required  by  the  family  of  a 
married  man.  The  living  rooms  should  not  be  over  the 
horses' heads,  as  the  animals  are  more  regular  in  their  habits 
than  the  best  of  servants,  and  the  horses,  after  having  quieted 
down  for  the  night,  should  not  be  disturbed. 

When  possible,  a  closet  and  washstand  should  be  placed 
on  the  first  floor  as  well  as  in  the  upper  part  of  the  building 
for  the  convenience  of  the  servants. 

PADDOCK. 

In  country  stables  it  is  convenient  to  have  a  paddock,  con- 
sisting of  a  space  seventy-five  feet  or  more  square,  enclosed 
with  stout  posts  and  planks  four  feet  six  or  five  feet  high. 
The  paddock  should  be  placed  on  the  southern  side  of  the 
stable,  and  it  is  convenient  to  have  the  entrance  from  the  aisle 
behind  the  stalls  or  between  the  boxes.  Into  this  enclosure 
horses  may  be  turned  for  an  airing  or  a  straw  ring  built  in 
it  for  exercising  the  horses  in  winter. 

INSURANCE. 

Immediately  upon  a  stable  being  occupied,  insurance  on 
it  and  its  contents  should  be  taken  out.  The  rate  is  very 


INSURANCE. 


61 


low  considering  the  risk  that  any  carelessness  or  negligence 
incurs.  The  very  faults  —  drunkenness,  stupidity,  etc.  —  to 
which  stable  hands  are  prone  make  this  risk  very  great, 
especially  in  country  stables  where  it  is  necessary  to  use 
lamps.  In  almost  all  instances  in  which  fire  occurs  in  coun- 
try establishments  the  building  and  most  of  its  contents  are 
destroyed. 


CHAPTER   V. 
CARRIAGES. 

DEVELOPMENT,    CONSTRUCTION,    COST,    WEIGHT,    TYPES, 
AND    APPOINTMENTS. 

IN  the  use  of 
equipage  we  are  the 
youngest  of  the 
civilized  nations. 
Not  more  than  two 
generations  ago  the 
number  of  private 
vehicles  in  any  one 
town  could  be 
counted  upon  the 

fingers ;  and  in  many  large  Western  cities,  whose  develop- 
ment was  subsequent  to  the  invention  of  the  "trolley,"  this 
public  means  of  conveyance  has  delayed  the  introduction 
of  the  private  carriage  almost  to  the  extent  of  exclusion. 
Some  of  our  great-grandparents  owned  coaches,  the  elabo- 
rateness of  which  has  since  never  been  approached.  Many 
of  these  coaches  were  imported,  and  represented  the  highest 
development  of  the  coach  builder's  art. 

It  may  be  asked,  if  having  started  on  even  terms  with  the 
mother  country,  and  having  at  our  command  the  advantages 
of  superior  qualities  of  wood  for  the  construction  of  vehicles, 
why  are  the  designs  of  the  majority  of  our  carriages  in- 


CARRIAGES.  63 

ferior  to  those  of  foreign  manufacture  ?  The  cause  may  be 
attributed  to  the  fact  that,  as  a  nation,  our  ideas  have  only 
recently  been  formulated  into  definite  shape  regarding  the 
types  of  vehicles  best  suited  for  certain  purposes.  Prior  to 
a  generation  ago,  the  conditions  were  not  conducive  to  the 
development  of  the  coach  builder's  art,  owing  to  the  following 
circumstances :  First,  the  tardy  development  of  our  roads  ; 
second,  the  disturbed  political  conditions  that  prevailed ; 
third,  the  general  abnegation  of  all  luxuries  by  those  who 
were  struggling  for  wealth  ;  and  fourth,  the  errors  committed 
by  coach  builders,  who,  with  but  few  exceptions,  turned  out 
vehicles  according  to  antiquated  or  defective  local  standards 
or  endeavored  to  overcome  the  faults  of  our  roads  by  con- 
trivances that  resulted  in  vehicular  aberrations.  A  few  of 
the  more  conservative  builders,  however,  realized  that  a  bad 
road  could  not  be  made  good  by  changing  the  principles  of 
carriage  construction ;  they  knew  that,  when  the  roads 
were  properly  made,  their  vehicles  would  meet  all  the 
requirements. 

The  adaptability  of  our  people  is  nowhere  more  dis- 
tinctly evident  than  in  the  building  of  our  better  types  of 
carriages.  We  have  united  the  simple  and  practical  design 
of  the  English  builders  with  the  perfection  of  detail  that  was 
developed  by  the  French  artisan,  and  our  native  forests  and 
skilled  labor  have  added  the  best  material  and  workmanship; 
with  the  result  that  our  carriages  have  been  recognized  as 
superior  to  those  of  any  other  country.  It  is  to  be  regretted, 
•however,  that  the  cheaper  grades,  with  which  the  market 
is  flooded,  should  impede  the  merits  of  the  finest  vehicles 
from  becoming  more  generally  recognized  in  our  own 
country. 


64  CARRIAGES. 

As  an  art,  carriage  building  is  successfully  carried  on  by 
only  a  few  firms ;  as  an  industry,  it  offers  profitable  invest- 
ment for  many  millions  of  dollars.  Discouraging  proof  of 
the  mediocre  standard  is  afforded  by  the  relatively  small 
proportion  of  conservative  firms  producing  carriages  of  the 
best  material  after  lines  from  well  chosen  models.  Most 
coach  builders  know  what  designs  are  good  and  what  are 
bad.  They  are  also  quite  as  well  aware  that  good  materials, 
workmanship  and  design  are  secondary  considerations  with 
an  ignorant  customer,  to  the  attractions  of  vanishing  seats, 
sweeping  curves  and  the  "  tallyho  for  one  horse,"  in  produc- 
ing the  impression  that  the  purchaser  is  "getting  his  money's 
worth."  For  this  reason  dealers  are  forced  to  carry  a  stock 
of  "  our  latest  novelty  "  creations,  though  they  would  prefer  to 
sell  only  what  they  know  to  be  of  good  design. 

Before  purchasing  a  carriage  it  is  advisable  to  become 
familiar  with  the  general  principles  of  carriage  construction, 
together  with  the  different  names  of  the  parts  and  the  various 
types  as  represented  by  standard  designs.  A  general  knowl- 
edge of  the  construction  enables  the  prospective  buyer  to 
discern  differences  between  two  apparently  similar  vehicles 
that  otherwise  would  be  unobserved.  The  purchaser,  in  order 
to  intelligibly  express  his  appreciation  of  these  differences  to 
a  coach  builder,  must  become  conversant  with  the  technical 
nomenclature.  By  having  the  various  types  definitely  sepa- 
rated in  his  mind,  he  is  the  better  able  to  detect  in  what  de- 
tails and  to  what  extent  the  vehicle  he  is  inspecting  differs 
from  the  best  design  of  the  same  type.  In  order  that  the 
reader  may  form  some  idea  of  wherein  lies  the  true  worth  of 
a  vehicle,  the  following  description  of  carriage  construction 
is  briefly  given : 


THE  FIRST  BROUGHAM  CONSTRUCTED. 


'BUS  OF  STANDARD  DESIGN. 


VARIETIES   OF    WOOD— DRAWINGS.  65 

SEASONING    OF    THE    WOOD. 

The  wood  that  is  employed  by  the  best  builders  is  sub- 
mitted to  a  long  and  thorough  course  of  seasoning  before  be- 
coming composite  parts  of  a  carriage.  Formerly,  time  alone 
rendered  the  wood  proof  against  shrinkage,  etc.,  and  it  was 
kept  in  its  raw  state  for  a  period  varying  between  two  and 
three  years.  The  drying  kiln  has  greatly  shortened  the  time 
required  for  seasoning  the  woods  used  in  manufacturing  the 
cheaper  grades  of  carriages.  The  materials  thus  treated  have 
all  the  sap  driven  out  and  the  fibre  compressed  by  the  appli- 
cation of  pressure  varying  between  ten  and  fifteen  tons  to 
the  square  inch. 

VARIETIES    OF   WOOD. 

The  varieties  of  wood  that  are  employed  in  carriage 
building  and  the  purposes  for  which  they  are  used  are  here 
given  in  tabular  form  : 

For  the  under-carriage,  white  and  red  hearted  ash. 

For  the  naves  or  hubs  of  wheels,  elm. 

For  the  spokes,  hickory  and  oak  saplings. 

For  the  flooring,  deal,  fir  and  pine. 

For  the  roofing,  fir. 

For  the  panelling,  mahogany,  cedar,  birch,  walnut  and  chestnut. 

For  wooden  rims  of  wheels,  ash,  hickory  and  beach. 

For  the  framework  of  the  body,  ash. 

For  shafts,  ash. 

For  poles,  ash. 

DRAWINGS. 

After  considering  and  fixing  upon  a  scheme  for  some  ve- 
hicle, first  as  a  whole  and  then  the  proper  relationship  of  the 
subordinate  details,  the  designers  commit  their  scheme  to 
paper  in  a  rough  drawing.  When  a  carriage  is  to  be  built  a 


66  WHEELS  AND    THE    UNDER-CARRIAGE. 

full-sized  scale  drawing  is  rendered  upon  a  blackboard  from 
which  the  working  drawing  is  made. 

WHEELS. 

The  wheels  are  usually  given  a  "  dish,"  i.  e.,  all  of  the 
spokes  are  bent  slightly  outward,  so  that  when  the  tire  is  put 
on  it  does  not  line  with  the  centre  of  the  nave.  The  extent 
of  this  curve  has  been  determined  by  what  experience  has 
shown  to  be  productive  of  the  best  results.  More  strength 
and  elasticity  are  thus  given  to  the  wheels.  When  the  wheel 
is  given  this  dish,  the  arm  or  end  of  the  axle  is  correspond- 
ingly bent  downward  from  the  shoulder.  Unless  this  is 
done,  the  dishing  of  the  wheel  acts,  in  a  degree,  as  an  im- 
pediment in  traction. 

THE    UNDER-CARRIAGE. 

The  under-carriage  is  formed  of  various  sized  timbers 
which  connect  the  four  wheels  and  offer  a  support  for  the 
body.  These  timbers  have  no  broad  surfaces,  as  they  are  as 
deep  or  deeper  than  they  are  wide,  and  are  joined  by  dowel- 
ling,  iron  braces,  bolts  and  so  forth.  The  under-carriage  is 


a-g 


B       B 

FIG.    35. 
A  —  ROLLER    BOLT'S.       B  —  FUCHELLS. 


of  three  kinds,  the  long  perch,  demanding  much  room  in 
turning,  the  short  perch  and  the  crane  neck  ;  the  latter 
two  were  devised  to  facilitate  the  performance  of  this  require- 


AXLES.  67 

meht.  The  fore  part  of  the  under-carriage  is  attached  to  the 
back  section  by  means  of  two  semicircular  plates,  one  bearing 
and  turning  over  the  other  and  secured  by  a  perch  bolt  pass- 
ing through  the  centre. 

AXLES. 

The  axle-trees  comprise  the  most  important  part  of  the 
under-carriage.  The  light  axle-trees  are  made  of  a  single 
solid  shaft  of  iron ;  but  for  heavier  vehicles  this  part  is  com- 
posed of  numerous  bands  of  "  scrap  "  iron  firmly  "  fagoted  " 
or  welded  together.  An  axle-tree  is  technically  divided  into 
three  parts  :  the  two  arms  and  the  bed,  or  that  portion  which 
connects  the  arms  together.  The  axle-tree  arms  are  usually 
conical,  but  in  some  patterns  they  are  made  cylindrical.  On 
the  upper  surface  a  groove  is  cut  to  receive  the  oil  and  the 
ends  are  threaded  to  fit  the  nuts  which  keep  the  wheel  in 
place.  The  common  axle  (see  Fig.  36)  is  the  only  kind  that 
can  be  employed  where  lightness  is  sought,  but  for  heavier 
vehicles  it  is  inferior  in  some  respects  to  the  Collinge  and 
Mail  axles. 

THE    COLLINGE    AXLE. 

The  Collinge  axle  consists  of  a  cylindrical  arm  with  a 
flanged  collar  at  the  shoulder.  A  short  distance  from  the 
collar  the  diameter  of  the  arm  gradually  diminishes  and  then 
continues  in  cylindrical  shape,  with  an  oil  groove  on  the  upper 
surface,  until  within  a  few  inches  of  the  end  ;  here  it  is  ab- 
ruptly reduced  in  diameter.  The  diminished  part  is  made 
flat  on  top  to  receive  the  "D"  slide  or  collet  that  is 
pressed  against  the  thick  portion  of  the  axle  box.  Beyond 
this  part  which  takes  the  "  D  "  slide  the  axle  arm  is  further 
reduced  and  threaded  the  width  of  a  nut.  At  the  end  of 


68  AXLES. 

the  thread  the  arm  is  again  made  smaller  and  a  thread  cut 
the  reverse  way  to  the  preceding  one.  In  the  end  of  the 
arm  is  drilled  a  hole  through  which  a  linchpin  is  driven 
after  the  wheel  is  in  place.  The  inner  rim  of  the  axle  box 
fits  inside  of  the  flange  of  the  collar  of  the  arm,  and  a  bevelled 
surface  on  the  inside  of  the  axle  box  fits  against  that  of  the 
arm.  The  wheel  being  put  on,  the  collet  is  placed  over 
the  small  flattened  part  of  the  arm  and  is  there  held  in  place 
with  a  set  nut  by  which  "  the  play  "  of  the  wheel  is  adjusted. 
The  set  nut  having  been  properly  located,  a  jam  nut  is  screwed 
on  the  reverse  way  and  holds  the  set  nut  firmly  in  place.  As 
an  additional  precaution  a  linchpin  is  driven  through  the 
end  of  the  arm.  The  oil  cup,  after  being  half  filled  with  oil, 
is  screwed  on  by  means  of  a  thread  that  fits  into  a  correspond- 
ing one  on  the  inside  of  the  axle  box.  (See  Fig.  37.) 

The  advantages  of  the  Collinge  axle  are  that  the  wheel  is 
held  very  securely  in  place  and  the  arm  is  kept  constantly 
lubricated  in  consequence  of  the  oil  being  drawn  from  the  oil 
cup  to  the  surface  of  the  arm  as  the  wheel  revolves.  The  oil 
may  be  replenished  without  removing  the  wheel  by  unscrew- 
ing the  oil  cup  and  filling  it  half  full.  As  the  adjustment  of 
the  set  and  jam  nuts  is  a  matter  requiring  delicate  manipula- 
tion, it  is  usually  done  by  an  experienced  man  from  the  coach 
builder's.  The  full  Collinge  is  the  best  and  only  form  of  this 
design  that  is  thoroughly  satisfactory. 

THE    MAIL    AXLE. 

In  the  Mail  axle  a  circular  disk  called  the  moon  plate 
revolves  behind  the  collar  of  the  axle  arm.  Holes  are  drilled 
through  the  plate  to  receive  the  iron  bolts  which  pass  through 
the  hub,  and  any  play  between  the  moon  plate  and  the  collar 


AXLES. 


69 


FIG.    36. 
PLAIN   AXLE    ARM    AND    AXLE    BOX. 


FIG.    37. 
COLLINGE   AXLE   ARM   AND   AXLE   BOX. 


FIG.    38. 
MAIL   AXLE   ARM   AND   BOX. 


70 


SPRINGS. 


FIG.    39,    C   SPRING.        FIG.    40,    PLATFORM   SPRING.        FIG.   41,   SIDE   SPRING. 
FIG.    42,    ELLIPTIC   SPRING.      FIG.   43,    CROSS   SPRING. 


SPRINGS.  71 

is  taken  up  by  a  leather  washer.  On  the  outer  side  of  the 
collar  another  leather  washer  is  placed.  A  short  distance 
from  this  point  the  axle  arm  bevels  down  to  a  smaller  diameter 
and  continues  in  conical  shape  (diminishing  one-eighth  of 
an  inch  to  a  foot)  to  the  end.  A  thread  is  cut  on  the  end  of 
the  axle  box  and  over  it  the  oil  cup  is  screwed. 

The  wheel  having  been  put  on,  a  nib  or  projecting  metal 
point  on  the  back  of  the  hub  fits  into  a  hole  in  the  moon 
plate  and  retains  the  latter  in  a  proper  position  to  receive 
the  three  iron  bolts.  On  the  outer  face  of  the  hub  an  iron 
plate  is  placed  over  these  bolts,  and  firmly  held  by  nuts 
which  screw  on  to  the  projecting  bolt  ends.  The  other  ends 
of  the  bolt  pass  through  the  moon  plate  and  are  there  fastened 
as  in  front.  The  metal  rim  on  the  back  of  the  hub  extends 
over  the  rim  of  the  moon  plate  and  thus  protects  the  arm  from 
dust  and  dirt.  The  use  of  the  Mail  axle  is  chiefly  confined 
to  certain  types  of  sporting  vehicles.  (See  Fig.  38.) 

SPRINGS. 

In  the  making  of  good  springs  skilled  workmen  are  em- 
ployed to  draw  the  pieces  to  the  required  shape  and  dimen- 
sions and  in  tempering  and  setting  them.  All  this  work 
requires  considerable  experience  and  judgment  in  order  to 
render  corresponding  parts  of  the  springs  of  equal  resistance. 
Upon  the  uniformity  of  one  part  with  another  in  the  matter 
of  elasticity  depends  the  even  resistance  and  balance  of  the 
springs  when  acted  upon  by  the  weight  of  the  body.  The 
best  quality  steel  springs  are  only  made  stiff  enough  to  with- 
stand any  strain  that  may  reasonably  be  expected  will  be 
brought  to  bear  upon  them.  By  this  method  almost  the  en- 
tire range  of  elasticity  in  the  spring  is  obtained  under  ordi- 


72  BODY  BUILDING  AND  PAINTING. 

nary  conditions.  A  spring  of  this  quality  used  on  a  run-about 
will  support  little  more  than  the  weight  of  two  persons,  but 
all  the  elasticity  in  the  spring  will  be  brought  into  play. 
The  less  carefully  made  springs  are  constructed  to  resist 
great  weight  in  case  of  an  emergency,  and  until  that  weight 
has  been  approached  the  spring  remains  comparatively  stiff. 

BODY    BUILDING. 

Body  building  requires  a  more  intelligent  class  of  artisans 
than  any  other  branch  of  carriage  construction.  In  the  exe- 
cution of  this  part  of  the. carriage,  it  is  of  the  greatest  impor- 
tance that  the  material  and  labor  should  be  of  the  very  best. 
The  apparently  unwarranted  discrepancy  in  the  price  of  two 
vehicles  is  frequently  due  to  the  body  of  the  cheaper  one 
being  inferior  in  material  and  workmanship,  both  of  which 
qualities  are  to  the  novice  almost  entirely  concealed  by  paint. 
To  produce  the  strength  and  high  finish  that  are  attained  in 
the  upper  part  of  the  carriage  the  greatest  thoroughness,  ac- 
curacy and  delicacy  are  necessary.  The  framework  is  scarfed 
and  made  tight  at  the  joints  with  white  lead  and  further 
strengthened  by  wooden  brackets,  iron  plates  and  braces. 
The  body  is  then  built  up  with  various  shaped  panels.  Those 
that  are  to  be  curved  have  the  side  that  is  to  be  made  convex 
dampened  and  the  other  exposed  to  some  form  of  heat  until 
bent  to  the  desired  shape,  which  is  retained  by  glue,  strips  of 
canvas  and  braces. 

PAINTING. 

The  actual  construction  being  now  completed,  all  the  wood- 
work is  smoothed  over  preparatory  to  receiving  such  priming 
coats  as  will  afford  a  good  foundation  for  the  ultimate  shade 
or  tint.  For  the  preservation  of  the  polished  surface  it  is  of 


VICTORIA  OF  STANDARD  DESIGN. 


PANEL-BOOT  VICTORIA  OF  STANDARD  DESIGN. 


TRIMMINGS  —  TRA  CTION—  BALANCE.  78 

the  utmost  importance  that  each  coat  of  varnish  should  thor- 
oughly harden  before  succeeding  ones  are  added.  The 
proper  time  for  painting  monograms  or  blazoning  coats  of 
arms  is  before  the  finishing  coat  of  varnish  has  been  laid  on ; 
but,  as  few  carriages  are  built  to  order,  the  monograms  or 
crests  are  painted  over  the  finishing  coat  and  then  lightly 
varnished. 

TRIMMINGS. 

The  tendency  is  now  to  do  away  with  all  the  more  per- 
ishable trimmings,  such  as  lacework,  etc.,  and  leather  is  used 
for  lining  in  many  instances  in  preference  to  cloth.  The  box 
seats  of  broughams,  victorias,  etc.,  are  cloth  covered,  made 
perfectly  even,  and  given  a  slight  forward  pitch.  Formerly 
the  seat  of  the  coachman  was  raised  above  that  of  the  groom 
by  a  box.  The  color  of  the  cloth  with  which  the  seat  is  cov- 
ered should  be  determined  by  the  color  of  the  livery. 

TRACTION. 

In  purchasing  a  vehicle,  whether  a  four-wheeler  or  a  cart, 
the  principles  of  the  laws  governing  traction  should  be  borne 
in  mind,  the  chief  of  which  are,  the  smaller  the  wheels  (ex- 
cept in  ascending  hills)  and  the  greater  the  distance  between 
the  front  and  the  hind  wheels,  the  heavier  the  draught;  the 
power  is  diminished  in  multiple  ratio  as  it  is  removed  from 
the  weight  upon  which  it  acts,  hence  an  extended  under-car- 
riage  is  objectionable  as  it  forces  the  horses  farther  from 
their  work. 

BALANCE. 

In  all  two-wheelers  it  is  essential  that  they  should  be  heav- 
ier in  proportion  than  four-wheelers,  for  the  sake  of  obtaining 
stability.  The  most  important  qualification  that  all  of  these 


74  DESIGN. 

vehicles  should  possess  is  perfect  balance ;  without  which 
the  horse  and  man  both  suffer  much  discomfort.  The  pur- 
chaser should  have  the  same  number  of  persons  get  into  the 
cart  that  he  intends  it  to  carry ;  he  should  remain  on  the 
floor  and  note  at  exactly  what  height  from  the  ground  the 
tug  places  on  the  shafts  are,  when  the  vehicle  is  so  balanced 
that  the  shafts  can  be  tipped  back  or  lowered  by  the  fore- 
fingers alone.  This  distance  should  be  the  same  as  that  from 
the  centre  of  the  horse's  body  near  the  withers  to  the  ground. 
When  thus  balanced,  the  seats  should  not  tip  either  forward 
or  backward.  Too  much  stress  cannot  be  laid  upon  the  im- 
portance of  securing  a  perfectly  balanced  cart,  as  without  bal- 
ance they  are  the  most  uncomfortable  contrivances  ever 
invented ;  but  when  rightly  built  and  drawn  by  a  horse  of 
proper  size,  they  are  as  easy  riding  as  any  simple  four- 
wheeler. 

DESIGN. 

The  design  determines  primarily  the  character  of  the 
vehicle.  No  amount  of  paint  or  metal  work  will  alter  the 
relation  of  the  various  parts  to  one  another,  nor  change  the 
lines.  There  are  certain  laws  which  should  govern  the  design 
of  all  types  of  vehicles,  and  it  depends  upon  the  degree  of 
strictness  with  which  these  laws  have  been  observed  in  cre- 
ating the  composition  whether  the  design  is  good,  bad  or 
indifferent.  These  laws  are  proportion,  simplicity  and  har- 
mony. In  whatever  detail  the  carriage  falls  short  of  meet- 
ing the  demands  of  utility  or  symmetry,  it  will  be  found  that 
one  or  more  of  these  laws  has  been  ignored. 

Every  vehicle  should  truthfully  convey  to  the  eye  the 
purpose  for  which  it  is  intended :  i.  e.,  a  road  wagon  by  its 


CONSTRUCTION.  75 

form  of  construction  should  indicate  that  lightness  is  desired  ; 
a  brougham  must  be  so  made  that  solidity  and  comfort  are 
suggested  as  being  the  characteristics.  The  vehicle  should 
be  practically  heavy  enough  to  fulfil  the  most  important 
requirements,  but  any  extreme  which  is  displeasing  to  the 
eye  must  be  modified  to  an  extent  which  will  convey  a  pleas- 
ing impression  of  harmony  and  appropriateness.  The  same 
holds  true  as  applied  to  the  separate  parts.  Wheels  that  are 
or  seem  to  be  relatively  too  light  or  too  heavy  for  the  body, 
or  vice  versa,  detract  from  the  effect  of  unity. 

The  advantage  of  having  a  well  designed  carriage  is  two- 
fold. First,  if  for  any  reason  the  carriage  is  sold,  it  will  be 
found  that,  being  free  from  any  of  the  absurdities  of  a  special 
period,  a  prospective  purchaser  will  be  more  attracted  to  it 
than  to  one  which  cannot  conceal  the  date  of  its  unfortunate 
creation.  Second,  a  carnage  with  a  standing  market  value  is 
an  asset,  which  may  be  advantageously  turned  to  account  It 
may  be  as  well  to  insert  here  a  word  regarding  the  approxi- 
mate values  that  different  vehicles  command  at  auction. 
Any  vehicle  sells  for  less  at  the  end  of  its  season  than  at  the 
beginning;  i.e.,  a  brougham  would  fetch  less  in  June  than 
it  would  in  October,  while  the  reverse  would  be  the  case  with 
a  victoria.  The  more  expensive  the  type  the  fewer  will  be 
the  bidders ;  and  for  this  reason  it  often  happens  that  a  vic- 
toria will  not  bring  more  than  a  gig.  Unusual  designs  have 
almost  no  market  value. 

CONSTRUCTION. 

In  construction  the  carriage  should  be  as  free  as  possible 
from  any  corners  or  pockets  made  by  springs,  etc.,  which 
prevent  a  chamois  from  being  readily  inserted.  This  point 


76  COLOR. 

is  of  more  importance  than  at  first  may  be  thought,  as  a  ser- 
vant will  not  give  the  time  and  labor  required  in  drying 
these  places.  The  result  in  such  cases  is  that  not  only  are 
the  surfaces  allowed  to  remain  wet,  but  the  dampness  thus 
retained  is  gradually  absorbed  by  other  parts. 

COLOR. 

Dark  colors  are  preferable  for  all  non-sporting  vehicles. 
The  lower  panels  of  the  body  of  those  carriages  that  are 
driven  by  a  servant  in  livery,  when  the  livery  is  other  than 
drab  color  or  whipcord,  are  preferably  of  the  same  color  as 
that  of  the  livery,  i.  e.,  black,  maroon,  dark  green  or  dark 
blue.  The  colors  of  the  under-carriage  of  non-sporting 
vehicles  are  usually  dark  and  either  relieved  by  striping  or 
are  plain.  They  should  harmonize  with  those  of  the  body, 
unless  the  owner  is  controlled  by  some  family  or  stable  color. 
Reds,  like  vermilion,  or  yellows,  like  primrose,  are  the  suit- 
able colors  for  the  running  gear  of  sporting  vehicles. 

That  part  of  the  shafts  which  is  not  covered  with  leather 
is  painted  to  correspond  with  the  running  gear.  Usually 
the  shafts  of  sporting  vehicles  have  no  leather  covering. 
For  non-sporting  vehicles  that  part  of  the  pole  back  of 
the  padding  is  painted  to  correspond  with  the  running  gear 
and  is  black  from  the  padding  to  the  end  of  the  pole.  For 
sporting  vehicles  the  padding  is  usually  omitted,  in  which 
case  the  entire  length  of  the  pole  and  whiffle-trees  or  splinter- 
bars  are  painted  the  same  as  the  running  gear.  The  neck- 
yoke  should  be  black. 

The  harmonizing  of  the  colors  of  the  various  parts  of  the 
carriage  determines  the  general  effect.  The  introduction 
of  new  shades  or  startling  combinations  of  colors  should  be 


METAL    WORK—  THE  POLE.  77 

avoided.  In  the  application  of  the  striping  it  is  essential 
that  the  lines  should  be  uniform  in  size  and  the  ends  finished 
squarely  off.  Good  varnish  is  hard,  lustrous  and  free  from 
spots 

METAL  WORK. 

All  exposed  metal  work  that  is  used  purely  for  construc- 
tional purposes  is  painted.  The  pole  head,  however,  is  more 
often  of  steel.  The  silver  or  brass  mountings  should  corre- 
spond with  the  livery  buttons  and  the  furniture  of  the  harness. 
At  the  present  time  there  is  a  tendency  to  reduce  the  amount 
of  silver  or  brass  trimmings  on  all  carriages,  as,  for  instance, 
in  the  highest  types  of  broughams  the  only  trimmings  of 
silver  or  brass  are  the  door  handles,  the  strip  around  the  driv- 
ing seat  and  the  reflectors  of  the  lamps,  the  latter  always 
being  silver  plated.  In  all  sporting  vehicles,  excepting  the 
road  coach,  such  mountings  as  are  subject  to  friction  should 
be  of  steel. 

THE  POLE. 

A  pole  should  be  absolutely  free  from  flaws,  and  strong 
enough  to  withstand  any  forward  pressure  with  more  than  a 
corresponding  amount  of  resistance.  Special  stress  is  laid 
upon  the  selection  of  a  pole,  as  any  defect  of  a  serious  char- 
acter is  likely  to  result  in  a  fatal  accident.  In  all  pair-horse 
carriages,  except  when  a  brake  exists,  the  pole  is  the  sole 
means  of  retarding  the  forward  impetus  and  of  controlling 
the  direction  of  the  carriage.  Should  the  pole  break  in  con- 
sequence of  some  defect  or  undue  pressure  being  brought  to 
bear,  only  a  chance  obstacle  can  prevent  the  splinter-bars 
from  running  on  the  hocks  of  the  horses,  in  which  event  a 
runaway  and  smash-up  are  almost  inevitable.  The  same  fatal 


78  POLE    TOPS  AND  HOOKS. 

conditions  may  be  brought  about  by  a  pole  that  is  too  weak 
for  the  weight  of  the  carriage. 

POLE  TOPS  AND  POLE  HOOKS. 

The  pole  top,  i.  e.,  the  metal  arms  and  pole  end  or  socket, 
to  which  the  pole  chains  or  pieces  are  attached,  is  made  either 
stationary  or  of  the  swivel  pattern.  Even  for  pair-horse  work 
it  is  desirable  to  have  the  arms  movable,  moderately  long 
and  turned  slightly  back. 

"The  best  pole  chains  are  those  one  end  of  which  is  fastened  to  a  langet, 
frequently  called  a  bridle,  which  slips  over  the  end  of  the  pole  back  and 
fits  into  its  place  at  the  end  of  the  pole  head,  the  other  end  of  the  pole  chain 
having  a  long  hook.  This  langet,  being  continually  on  the  move,  keeps  the 
horse's  shoulders  fresh,  whereas  the  fixed  langet,  to  which  the  pole  chains  are 
fastened  by  rivets  and  nuts,  gives  no  play  at  all,  and  is  also  dangerous,  inas- 
much that  the  nuts  and  rivets  must  wear  in  time." — "Driving"  p.  99,  Bad- 
minton Library. 

For  broughams,  victorias  and  similar  carriages  the  ends 
of  the  arms  terminate  in  oblong  eyes,  through  which  the 
pole  pieces  are  drawn.  The  pole  ends  for  the  non-sporting 
type  of  vehicles  are  frequently  japanned  and  the  eyes 
covered  with  leather,  but  such  pole  ends  are  more  often  of 
burnished  steel. 

For  the  private  coach,  mail  phaeton  and  other  pair-horse 
vehicles  with  which  pole  chains  are  used,  the  ends  of  the 
arms  are  made  much  smaller  and  hold  the  rings  through 
which  the  pole  chain  runs. 

The  metal  pole  end,  when  intended  for  a  four-horse 
vehicle,  is  provided  with  a  hook  extending  some  distance  in 
front ;  the  end,  terminating  in  an  eye,  is  carried  back  over 


TWO  TYPES  OF  POLE-ENDS. 

The  upper  illustration  shows  the  type  of  Pole-End  used  with  Pole-Pieces,  and  the  lower  one 
that  for  use  with  Pole-Chains. 


POLE  CHAINS  AND  POLE  PIECES.  79 

the  pole.  A  strap,  somewhat  like  a  hame  strap,  is  passed 
through  this  eye  and  a  similar  one  riveted  to  the  pole;  by 
this  means  the  main  bar  is  prevented  from  becoming 
detached.  The  pole  hook  when  used  on  a  road  coach  is 
japanned,  and  the  use  of  shackles,  bolts  and  nuts,  instead  of 
the  eye  and  ring,  is  a  characteristic  distinction  very  often 
seen. 

POLE    CHAINS    AND    POLE    PIECES. 

For  some  reason,  unknown  to  the  writer,  the  chains  and 
leather  pole  pieces,  used  for  fastening  the  horses  to  the  pole, 
are  considered  part  of  a  pair-horse  vehicle  and  are  therefore 
always  included  in  the  asking  price.  As  the  pole  chains 
should  be  of  steel  and  of  the  simple  cable  link  pattern,  there 
is  no  objection  to  their  being  provided  by  the  coach  builder ; 
but  with  the  pole  pieces  the  case  is  different.  These  should 
match  the  harness,  in  the  stitching,  the  type  of  keepers  and 
buckles.  Their  construction  is  in  no  way  different  from 
other  parts  of  a  harness,  and  it  seems  as  though  there  was 
every  reason  for,  and  none  against,  purchasing  them  from 
the  harness  dealer.  The  majority  of  carriage  firms  will  fur- 
nish any  particular  kind  desired  if  the  purchaser  emphasizes 
the  request 

THE    NECK    YOKE. 

The  neck  yoke  (see  Fig.  44)  is  frequently  used  on  the 
poles  of  light  pair-horse  vehicles  as  it  affords  a  means,  when 
desired,  of  exerting  at  right  angles  to  the  pole  a  resistance 
to  the  forward  pressure  of  the  carriage.  The  resistance 
thus  directed  is  more  effective  than  that  exerted  obliquely  by 
pole  chains  or  pole  pieces  attached  to  the  short  arms  of  the 
pole  end.  The  neck  yoke  is  joined  to  the  pole  by  means  of  a 


80     NECK  YOKE  — PNEUMATIC  AND    CUSHION  TIRES. 


FIG.    44. 
THE   NECK  YOKE. 

circular  piece  of  leather,  which  fits  over  the  end  of  the  pole 
against  a  flange  and  is  held  in  place  by  a  point-strap  which 
fastens  into  a  buckle  riveted  to  the  top  of  the  pole.  The 
length  of  the  neck  yoke  from  tip  to  tip  should  be  about  three 
feet  four  inches. 

PNEUMATIC   AND    CUSHION    TIRES. 

The  additional  comfort  that  is  derived  from  the  use  of 


FIG.  45- 

THE   CUSHION  TIRE.* 
*  Used  by  permission  of  the  New  England  Rubber  Tire  Wheel  Company. 


POLE-END  FOR  ROAD  COACH. 
With  Chains  fastened  to  the  Langet  by  Shackles,  Bolts  and  Nuts. 


THE    CHOICE    OF  A    CARRIAGE.  81 

rubber  tires  on  heavy  vehicles,  and  pneumatic  or  cushion 
ones  on  the  lighter  types,  has  so  greatly  offset  the  item  of 
original  outlay  and  cost  of  constant  renewals  that  they  are 
now  to  be  seen  on  the  majority  of  pleasure  carriages.  It  is 
claimed,  and  with  truth,  that  the  life  of  a  carriage  is  greatly 
prolonged  by  being  relieved  of  much  of  the  wear  and  tear 
caused  by  the  vibration  incident  to  vehicles  not  so  equipped. 
Unless  the  carriage  is  fitted  with  rubber  tires  when  bought, 
it  is  an  economy  to  use  it  as  it  came  from  the  builder  until 
the  ordinary  iron  tire  is  worn  down,  as  new  iron  rims  have  to 
be  put  on  to  hold  the  rubber. 

THE    CHOICE    OF   A    CARRIAGE. 

When  we  are  comparing  simply  the  relative  merits  of 
two  articles  it  is  unfair  to  our  better  judgment  to  be  blinded 
by  any  passing  fancy  or  other  prejudice.  In  choosing  a 
carriage,  the  selection  should  be  made  of  the  one  that  is  the 
most  practical  in  construction  and  that  best  satisfies  the  eye 
of  an  intelligent  and  refined  person,  i.e.,  a  vehicle  of  a  stand- 
ard design. 

In  purchasing  carriages  the  importance  of  buying  the 
best  should  be  paramount  to  every  other  consideration,  even 
to  the  quality  of  the  harness  and  horses,  if  needs  be.  A 
broken  trace  is  less  likely  to  cause  a  fatal  accident  than  is 
the  giving  way  of  defective  springs,  axle  or  pole.  The  pur- 
chase of  unreasonably  cheap  vehicles  is  one  of  the  most 
ephemeral  economies  a  person  indulges  in,  and,  as  events  too 
often  prove,  the  greatest  folly  he  can  commit.  In  many 
instances  such  mistakes  are  made  more  from  ignorance  of 
the  danger  incurred  than  from  any  parsimony. 

Thus  a  customer,  having  reduced  his  choice  to  one  of 


82  THE    CHOICE    OF  A    CARRIAGE. 

two  carriages,  comes  to  the  question  of  price  :  one  is  a  quarter 
or  a  half  more  than  the  other.  To  the  inexperienced  critic 
there  is  nothing  in  the  outward  appearances  to  warrant  this 
difference  in  value,  and  he  takes  it  for  granted  that  the 
essential  parts,  the  wheels,  under-carriage  and  body,  of  the 
two  carriages  are  of  equally  good  material  and  workmanship. 
Believing  what  he  hopes  to  be  so  is  so,  he  attributes  the 
difference  in  price  as  due  to  more  expensive  upholstery  or 
some  equally  unimportant  detail.  The  result  is,  with  what 
would  be  praiseworthy  economy  were  he  right  in  his  conjec- 
ture, he  chooses  the  cheaper  and  inferior  vehicle.  Constant 
bills  for  repairs  soon  prove  the  fallacy  of  his  opinion. 

As  the  superiority  of  one  carriage  over  another  is  often 
due  to  the  excellence  of  the  material  that  is  hidden  by  paint, 
the  buyer  draws  his  conclusions  regarding  the  quality  of 
such  material  from  the  reputation  the  dealer's  work  bears. 
The  names  of  certain  well-known  manufacturers  on  vehicles 
is  considered  almost  as  much  of  a  guarantee  of  their  intrinsic 
worth  as  is  the  government  stamp  on  a  sovereign.  It  is  not 
the  author's  intention  to  advocate  only  elaborately  made  and 
consequently  high-priced  vehicles,  but  that,  whatever  the 
carriage  may  be,  and  the  simpler  the  better,  if  the  purse  has 
to  be  considered,  the  material  and  workmanship  should  be 
of  the  best.  The  difference  of  two  or  three  hundred  dollars 
in  the  price  of  two  broughams  or  victorias  of  apparently  the 
same  construction  is  more  than  doubly  repaid  during  the 
life  of  the  superior  carriage,  in  consequence  of  its  greater 
durability. 

When  a  novice  is  about  to  make  his  selection  of  a  horse 
and  carriage  he  should  bear  in  mind  that  it  is  the  carriage 
which  is  the  primal  factor  in  determining  to  what  extent  the 


THE    CHOICE    OF  A    CARRIAGE.  83 

purposes  of  the  owner  are  satisfied.  A  particular  horse  may 
not  necessarily  control  the  character  of  the  vehicle,  but  a  cer- 
tain vehicle  should  determine  the  stamp  of  the  horse.  A  horse 
of  the  proper  shape  and  make  can  always  be  obtained  for 
any  of  the  standard  types  of  carriages ;  but  fortunately  the 
latter  do  not  invariably  correspond  with  every  class  of  animal. 
Before  finally  selecting  any  one  carriage  the  prospective 
purchaser  is  advised  to  consider  the  following  pros  and  cons 
which  enter  so  largely  into  the  acquisition  of  a  carriage : 

1.  For  what  use  is  the  vehicle  intended  ? 

2.  What  type  of  vehicle  best  fulfils  the  requirements? 

3.  Will    it    serve    those    requirements,    if   necessary,  in 
summer  and  winter  and  in  wet  weather  ? 

4.  What  is  the  cost  of  a  vehicle,  not  merely  of  this  type, 
but  of  the  best  in  the  matter  of  material  and  workmanship? 

5.  If  the  desired  vehicle   is  too  expensive,  what  other 
more  moderate  priced  type  could  be  substituted  ? 

6.  How  many  horses  and  of  what  stamp  will  be  required  ? 

7.  If    properly    turned    out,    what   harness,  livery  and 
robes,  etc.,  will  be  needed  ? 

8.  Is  the  stable  servant  competent  to  give  such  a  vehicle 
proper  care  ? 

9.  Is  the  vehicle  of  such  a  design  that  it  is  likely  to 
command  a  fair  price  if  sold  again  ? 

If  the  bank  account  is  large  the  purchaser  is  fancy  free 
to  follow  his  own  inclinations  wherever  they  may  lead 
him  ;  but  when  a  certain  sum  has  been  carefully  saved  for  the 
buying  of  the  first  carriage  or  its  purchase  constitutes  the 
only  outlay  of  this  nature  to  be  made  for  several  years,  a 
thoughtful  person  is  guided  in  his  selection  by  many  consid- 
erations. It  is  important  to  know  beforehand  whether  the 


84  THE    CHOICE    OF  A    CARRIAGE. 

vehicle  is  light  enough  to  be  readily  drawn  by  one  horse ;  is 
it  suitable  for  the  city  and  country  or  in  winter  and  summer ; 
is  it  of  such  a  design  that,  to  be  properly  appointed,  James  will 
have  to  be  put  in  breeches  and  boots,  or  a  more  elaborate 
harness  and  better  quality  horse  bought  ? 

To  those  persons  whose  circumstances  allow  them  to 
enjoy  the  pleasure  of  owning  horses,  the  result  of  experience 
is  here  given  regarding  the  attempt  to  combine  in  one  car- 
riage the  requisites  of  a  city  and  country  vehicle  or  one  for 
summer  and  winter.  The  only  carriages  that  unite  all  the 
requirements  are,  for  personal  driving,  a  hooded  buggy ;  and 
for  a  carriage  to  be  driven  by  a  servant,  the  light  bus  or  a 
wagonette  with  sliding  glass  windows,  and  even  the  latter 
vehicle  is  open  to  the  objection  of  being  rather  too  heavy  for 
one  horse. 

For  city  use  in  winter  and  summer  the  hansom  is  the  one 
type  that  may  be  comfortably  used,  and  under  similar  condi- 
tions in  the  country  the  station  wagon  with  a  detachable  top 
offers  the  most  advantages.  For  city  use  in  winter  the 
brougham  is  the  most  serviceable ;  and  for  spring,  summer 
and  fall  the  victoria,  the  most  luxurious.  The  light  types 
(weighing  about  800  pounds)  of  these  two  designs  may  be  and 
usually  are  combined  in  forming  an  all-the-year-round  turn- 
out. The  same  horse,  harness  and  livery  can,  by  stretching 
a  point  here  and  there,  be  used  for  both,  but  the  expense  is 
greater  than  if  a  country  carriage  was  used  in  place  of  the 
victoria.  Why  ?  Because  the  wear  and  tear  are  on  a  twelve 
hundred  dollar  carriage  instead  of  on  a  two  or  three  hundred 
dollar  one ;  the  same  in  respect  to  the  deterioration  of 
expensive  harness  and  livery ;  moreover,  the  greater  cost  of 
renewals  has  to  be  considered. 


4 
TYPES  OF  MODERN   CARRIAGES  —  PLATE    1. 


1  Brougham 

2  Victoria 

3  Stanhope  Phaeton 

4  Runabout 


5  Landau 

6  Four-in-Hand  Break 

7  Coup6  Rockaway 

8  Wagonette  Break  (with  Perch  Gear) 


"3 


M 


TYPES  OF  MODERN  CARRIAGES  —  PLATE  2. 


9  Omnibus 

10  Spider  Phaeton 

11  Station  Wagon 

12  Surrey 


13  Dog  Cart 

14  Governess  Cart 

15  Basket  Phaeton  (with  Rumble) 

1 6  Vis-a-vis 


COST  AND    WEIGHT. 


85 


When  a  purchaser  is  about  to  enlarge  the  number  of  his 
vehicles  by  one  or  more  additions  without  a  corresponding 
increase  in  the  number  of  horses,  etc.,  he  should  confine  his 
selection  to  such  carriages  as  may  be  practically  and  appro- 
priately drawn  by  the  horses  and  harness  which  are  in  his 
stable. 


AVERAGE    COST    AND    WEIGHT    OF    VARIOUS    TYPES    OF    VEHICLES 
OF    THE    BEST    MAKE. 


PRICE. 

Barouche $1600. 

Break. 

Body-perch 1650. 

Roof 1450.-2000. 

Skeleton 750. 

Brougham. 

Single  (special)  .  .  1450. 

Pair-horse 1500. 

Buggy. 

Single  (for  shafts 


only) 


450. 


Double 450. 


WEIGHT. 

Ibs. 
1350. 

1700. 
1500. 
1400. 

1050. 
j  1150. 
1  1350. 


125. 
175. 
190. 
350. 


Cabriolet. 

Two-wheeler    1250.  1000. 

Cart. 

Breaking 300.  300. 

Game  (4-wheeler)..850.  750. 

Go  ing- to- covert ...  .775.  700. 

Governess 350.  300. 

Village 600.  500. 

Whitechapel 800.  750. 


WEIGHT. 

PRICE.  Ibs. 

Coach. 

Road $2400.  2900. 

Private 2600.  2500. 

Curricle .1250.  950. 

Gig. 

Hooded 750.  600. 

Park-gate 600.  500. 

Skeleton 300.  350. 

Hansom 1225.  1100. 

Jaunting  car 650.  500. 

Landau 1800.  1600. 

Omnibus. 

Station 1200.  1100. 

Theatre 1350.  1400 

Phaeton. 

Basket  (single)  ...  .400.  350. 

Basket  (pair-horse)  .  750.  700. 

Demi-mail 1200.  1000. 

Ladies' 1150.  800. 

Mail 1450.  1200. 

Spider 1150.  800. 

Stanhope    1100.  900. 

Rockaway      )       ....146Q.  1200. 

(six-seated)  j 


86  APPOINTMENTS:    SINGLE  BROUGHAM. 

WEIGHT.  WEIGHT. 

PRICE.          LBS.  PRICE.          LBS. 

Run-about #365.        260.  Pair-horse $1400.     1100. 

Station  wagon 750.    j  ^  Panel-boot  (single)  1100.       800. 

1700.  Panel-boot     ) 

Surrey   600.     {  «°«  (pair  horse)  |   "  ^ 

{  500.  C-spring 1750.     1400. 

T-cart 825.       700.  Wagonette  (top). 

Tilbury 600.       550.  Single 850.       700. 

Victoria.  Pair-horse 1000.     1000. 

Single 975.       650. 

To  be  properly  turned  out  the  following  carriages  re- 
quire that  the  servant  or  servants  be  costumed  in  boots  and 
breeches :  brougham,  victoria,  landau,  vis-a-vis,  mail,  demi- 
mail,  spider,  stanhope  and  ladies'  phaeton,  gig,  tandem 
carts,  private  coach,  omnibus  and  hansom. 

APPOINTMENTS. 

The  details  given  below  and  those  to  which  reference  is 
made  are  the  distinctions  which  characterized  the  winning 
entry  in  the  Appointment  Class  at  the  National  Horse 
Show  in  1898,  or  are  observed  by  well  known  horse  owners, 
and  therefore  represent  what  is  generally  accepted  as  being 
appropriate  for  the  proper  turning  out  of  the  special  type  of 
vehicle. 

SINGLE  BROUGHAM. 

The  carriage : 

Color,  dark  throughout ;  lower  panels  and  livery  cor- 
respond. 

Metal  trimmings,  brass  ;  only  used  for  door  handles, 
rim  around  coachman's  seat ;  shaft  ends  japanned. 

Rubber  tires,  on  all  wheels. 


APPOINTMENTS:    BROUGHAM  AND  VICTORIA.  87 

Lining,  of  coachman's  seat  to  match  color  of  livery, 
robe  to  match  inside  lining,  or  if  the  latter  is 
leather,  the  robe  any  dark  shade. 

Windows,  wooden  shutters  up,  coming  into  ring 
(from  stable) ;  when  carriage  stops,  shutters  let 
down  and  glass  windows  raised  halfway ;  groom 
removes  robe  and  places  it  over  left  arm,  and 
stands  facing  forward  near  the  hinge  end  of  the 
door.  If  carriage  is  to  be  driven  away  without 
groom,  glass  windows  are  raised  full  height. 
When  carriage  leaves  show  ring  (returning  to 
stable),  glass  windows  are  let  down  and  wooden 
shutters  put  up. 

For  type  of  horse,  see  p.  128. 

For  type  of  harness,  see  p.  202. 

Servants,  in  full  dress  livery  (breeches  and  boots), 
body  coat,  not  greatcoat ;  no  robe.  For  full  de- 
scription of  livery,  see  Chapter  XIII. 

PAIR-HORSE    BROUGHAM. 

The  carriage  : 

Same  in  all  respects  as  described  under  single 
brougham,  except  that  the  carriage  is  propor- 
tionally larger  and  heavier. 

The  pole  end,  japanned,  eyes  of  bridle  leather  covered. 

For  type  of  horses,  see  p.  128. 

Servants,  see  under  description  of  single  brougham. 

PAIR-HORSE    VICTORIA    AND    PANEL-BOOT   VICTORIA. 

The  carriage  : 

Color,  dark  throughout,  lower  panels  and  livery  cor- 
respond. 


88  APPOINTMENTS:  PHAETONS. 

Rubber  tires,  on  all  wheels. 

Lining  of  coachman's  seat  to  match  color  of  livery. 

Carriage  robe  to  match  carriage  lining  in  color. 
When  carriage  stops  groom  removes  robe,  and 
places  it  over  left  arm  and  stands,  facing  forward, 
near  carriage  seat,  not  coachman's  seat. 

For  type  of  horses,  see  p.  1 30. 

For  type  of  harness,  see  p.  203. 

Ribbon  or  cord  fronts  and  pad-housings  are  used  with 
harness  for  panel-boot  victoria,  but  not  with  any 
other. 

Servants,  see  p.  87,  description  of  single  brougham. 

"  Pair  of  Horses.  To  be  shown  before  a  Victoria  or  Cabriolet,  a  panel- 
bool  Victoria  is  meant,  the  horses  to  count  50  per  cent ;  the  carriages,  25  ; 
harness,  15;  liveries,  10.  The  horses  should  have  good  manners,  stand 
quietly,  and  back  well." — From  the  Catalogue  of  the  National  Horse  Show 
Association,  1898. 

PHAETONS  —  MAIL,  DEMI-MAIL,  STANHOPE,    AND    SPIDER. 

The  carriages  (see  Plates): 

Color,    dark    throughout    for    mail,    demi-mail    and 

stanhope. 

Pole  head,  swivel,  arms  and  rings  of  burnished  steel. 
Pole-chains,  not  pole-pieces,  used. 
For  type  of  horses,  see  p.  131. 
For  type  of  harness,  see  p.  207. 
Servants,  see  p.  87. 
Two  servants  accompany  the  mail  phaeton,   but  for 

all  others  only  the  groom. 

"  For  pairs  of  horses  to  be  shown  before  a  demi-mail,  spider  or  stan- 
hope phaeton,  for  park  use.  Horses  to  count  30  per  cent,  and  to  be  prac- 
tically sound,  with  good  manners,  Carriages,  30  per  cent.  Harness,  20  per 


APPOINTMENTS:   RUN-ABOUT  AND  ROAD   WAGON.     89 

cent.     Servants'  Liveries,   etc.,   20   per   cent." — From  the  Catalogue  of  the 
National  Horse  Show  Association,  1898. 

RUN-ABOUT. 

Color,  body,  dark ;  running  gear,  red  (preferably)  or  yellow. 
Fittings.     A  lamp,  box  of  matches,  tie  strap,  blanket  and 
wheel  wrench  under  seat.     Robe  folded  outside  out 
and  placed  on  driving  seat  if  not  used.     Whip,  with 
lash,  not  the  straight  whalebone  type.     If  a  servant 
accompanies  the  carriage  he  should  be  in  whipcord 
breeches  and  leggings. 
For  type  of  horse,  see  p.  132. 
For  type  of  harness,  see  p.  205. 
For  description  of  livery,  see  under  Chapter  XIII. 
"  Horses  and  Run-abouts.     Horses  to  count  50  per  cent ;  run-about  and 
appointments,  50  per  cent.     Horse  should  have  conformation,  style,  all-round 
action  and  good  manners.     Horses  must  stand  without  being  held." —  From 
the  Catalogue  of  the  National  Horse  Show  Association,  1898. 

ROAD    WAGON. 

Color,  body,  dark,  preferably  black ;  running  gear,  pfreferably 

dark  red  or  black  with  light  stripe. 
Fittings. 

"  At  the  recent  Horse  Show  at  Madison  Square  Garden  exhibitors  in 
best  appointed  road  rig  class  were  notified  that  only  the  following  articles 
should  be  carried  in  the  wagon :  Blankets,  robes,  whip,  harness  punch, 
oil  can,  goggles,  watch,  hoof  pick,  wagon  wrench,  monkey  wrench,  hammer, 
scraper,  one  pair  pincers,  one  lamp  (not  electric),  and  copper  wire  and 
cord.  The  latter,  neatly  coiled,  takes  up  very  little  room,  and  is  very  useful 
in  case  of  accident  to  wagon  or  harness.  The  tendency  to  multiply  articles 
grew  until  equipment  really  became  burdensome,  and  the  directors  of  the 
Horse  Show  Association  put  on  the  brakes.  Omitting  tie  rein  and  shoes 
from  the  list  has  led  to  discussion,  but  the  theory  is  that  the  man  who  jogs 
through  the  park  for  a  spin  on  the  speedway  has  no  use  for  either.  If  he 


90  APPOINTMENTS:   ROAD   WAGON. 

stops  at  a  road  house,  he  will  find  tie  straps  in  the  shed,  and  if  he  casts  a 
shoe,  he  will  find  a  blacksmith  close  at  hand,  or  he  can  return  to  the  stable, 
without  stopping  to  have  a  shoe  nailed  on.  The  groom  of  every  well- 
appointed  stable  will  see  to  it  that  no  horse  leaves  the  stable  for  an  afternoon 
drive  with  a  shoe  so  loose  as  to  interfere  with  the  pleasure  of  the  outgoing. 
At  the  Chicago  Horse  Show  there  was  a  radical  departure  from  simplicity  in 
road  rig  appointments.  A  great  many  articles  were  carried  that  might  well 
have  been  omitted,  such  as  currycomb,  brush,  nails,  shoes  and  flask  with 
whiskey  or  brandy  in  it.  If  a  man  is  taking  a  forty-mile  drive  through  the 
country,  these  articles  might  prove  useful,  but  not  in  the  park.  The  lamp 
was  stowed  away  under  the  seat,  requiring  something  of  a  search  for  it  in  an 
emergency,  instead  of  being  worn  on  the  dashboard  as  in  the  New  York 
Show.  The  lead  of  Colonel  Kip  in  this  particular  was  followed  by  every 
other  exhibitor.  At  Chicago  high  silk  hats  were  conspicuous  in  the  ring 
until  it  was  understood  that  the  judges  put  a  black  mark  against  every  man 
who  wore  one,  then  the  New  York  standard  prevailed.  A  round  hat,  with 
white  coat,  is  the  proper  thing  in  the  road  rig  class.  To  the  farmer,  who  is 
indifferent  to  personal  appearance,  all  this  may  seem  trivial,  but  it  is  impor- 
tant to  men  who  drive  purely  for  pleasure,  and  who  wish  to  be  in  what  is 
considered  good  form."  —  "  Turf,  Field  and  Farm"  December  10,  1897. 

A  well  known  driver  of  road  horses  who  is  a  successful 
exhibitor  at  the  Horse  Show  in  New  York  each  year  has  a 
wooden  case  fastened  beneath  the  seat  with  a  door  opening 
toward  the  dash  board  and  hinged  at  the  bottom,  in  which 
the  following  articles  are  carried : 

Leather  punch.  Ivory  scraper. 

Folding  wheel  jack.  Wire  and  cord. 

Oil  can.  Wire  nippers. 

Monkey  wrench.  Goggles  and  case. 

Hoof  pick  and  hammer.  Box  of  matches. 

Watch  on  toe  carpet,  not  on  foot  rest.  Lamp  with  candle  on  dash  board. 

For  type  of  horse,  see  p.  1 34. 

For  type  of  harness,  see  pp.  114,  115. 


THE  PRIVATE    COACH.  91 

THE    PRIVATE    COACH. 

COLOR.  Only  one  other  color  with  black  is  now  generally 
used.  Black  and  maroon,  or  dark  green  or  dark  blue  pro- 
duce the  best  effects.  The  following  enumerated  parts 
should  be  always  painted  black:  the  upper  panels,  sides 
of  boots,*  front  of  front  boot,  steps,  seat  rails,  standards, 
ladder,  skid  and  chain,  hub-bands,  and  roller  bolts.  The 
quarter  panels,  the  entire  door,  the  back  panel  of  the  hind 


FIG.,  46. 
THE    SKID. 

boot,  the  under  side  and  rim  of  the  footboard  and  the 
risers  of  the  box  seat,  the  pole,  the  main  and  lead  bars 
should  be  painted  the  same  color  as  the  under  carriage,  when 
only  one  color  is  used  in  combination  with  black.  Black 
striping  may  be  introduced  around  the  doors,  on  the  box 
seat  risers,  in  the  form  of  a  rectangular  panel  on  the  under 
side  of  the  footboard,  on  the  rims  of  the  wheels  and  at  base 
of  the  spokes.  The  crest,  monogram,  or  badge  of  the  owner 
should  be  painted  on  the  narrow  panel  under  the  window 
(called  the  crest  panel)  and  in  the  centre  of  the  panel  of  the 
hind  boot.  The  badge  or  device  of  the  leading  coaching 

*  Boot.  The  name  is  derived  from  the  term  applied  to  the  basket  frequently 
carried  on  the  side  of  vehicles  in  the  I7th  century  and  in  which  the  feet  were  placed. 
*  Somewhat  later  a  basket  was  attached  to  the  hind  axle  for  the  accommodation  of  inferior 
passengers  and  dependants.  In  the  gradual  evolution  of  the  coach  a  smaller  basket  was 
carried  over  the  front  axle  and  was  designated  a  "boot"  although  the  word  had  in  this 
case  lost  its  true  significance. 


92 


THE   PRIVATE    COACH. 


club,  of  which  the  owner  is  a  member,  may  be  placed  on  the 
panel  of  the  door. 

CONSTRUCTION.  The  fore  and  hind  axle  should  be  joined 
by  a  perch.  The  axles  should  be  of  the  Collinge  pattern, 
or  they  may  be  Mail.  The  risers  of  the  hind  seat  should 
be  iron  braces.  The  hind  boot  is  hinged  at  the  bottom. 
The  pole  hook  and  furniture  on  main  and  lead  bars  are  of 
burnished  steel.  For  detail  measurements  see  p.  94. 

OUTSIDE  FITTINGS.  Lazy-backs  of  the  middle 
seats  (gammon  *  and  backgammon)  covered  with 
patent  leather  and  turned  down.  The  standards 
or  iron  supports  for  the  backs  should  be  hinged 
above  the  cushions.  There  should  be  no  backs 
to  the  rumble  seat  nor  should  there  be  any  lug- 
gage rails  or  straps.  Seats  lined  with  dark  cloth 
or  pigskin.  A  foot  box  for  ladies  should  be  pro- 
vided. The  covering  of  the  upper  surface  of  the 
boots  and  footboard  should  be  a  solid  color,  oil- 
cloth, kemptulicon,  or  india  rubber.  Main  and 
lead  bars  fastened  to  the  back  of  hind  seat,  bar 
and  trace  hooks  down,  and  main  bar  on  top ;  the 
ladder  hung  beneath  the  rumble. 

The  stick  basket  used  on  a  coach  measures  about  two 
feet  three  inches  in  length  and  ten  inches  in  diameter. 
Narrower  ones  are  sometimes  used  on  other  vehicles,  but 
strictly  speaking  its  use  is  limited  to  the  coach.  It  should 
be  carried  on  the  near  side. 

In  regard  to  carrying  a  stick-basket  when  the  coach  is  turned  out  the  Duke 
of  Beaufort  is  quoted  by  a  correspondent  to  the  Rider  and  Driver  as  saying :  *'  I 

*  A  form  of  seat  devised  to  meet  the  requirements  of  an  Act  of  Parliament  limiting 
the  number  of  roof  passengers.  The  bill  was  introduced  by  a  Mr.  Gammon. 


FIG.   47. 

THE   STICK 
BASKET. 


THE  PRIVATE    COACH. 


93 


should  decidedly,  whether  I  was  turned  out  for  a  meet  of  the  Four-in-Hand  Club, 
or  for  a  drive  in  Hyde  Park,  or  any  other  occasion,  have  a  stick  and  umbrella 
basket  attached  to  one  of  the  hind  seats  of  my  coach.  There  is  no  necessity  to 
have  it  over  large  or  unsightly.  It  does  not,  then,  in  any  way  disfigure  a  coach, 
and  is  at  all  times  most  useful,  and  if  the  owner  have  a  load  of  ladies  and  gentle- 
men, I  consider  it  indispensable." 

The  coachman's  driving  apron  if  not  used  is  folded  out- 
side out  on  the  driving  cushion.  An  "  imperial,"  i.  e.,  box 
between  the  gammon  and  the  backgammon  seats,  is  not 
carried.  This  box  is  used  only  when  going  to  the  races 
or  on  similar  expeditions.  The  skid  (see  Fig.  46)  should 
be  carried  on  the  off  side. 

The  horn  is  carried  in 
a  leather  case  or  in  a  cylin- 
drical basket.  The  latter 
allows  the  horn  to  be  put 
in  with  the  mouthpiece  up, 
which  prevents  it  from  fall- 
ing out.  If  the  leather  case 
is  used  it  should  be  open  at 
the  bottom  with  a  small  pin 
across  the  opening  to  prevent  the  mouthpiece  falling  out. 
The  basket  when  used  for  the  horn  alone  is  made  narrower 
than  when  intended  to  carry  sticks,  etc.  It  should  be  at- 
tached to  the  off  side  roof-seat  iron. 

INSIDE  FITTINGS.  The  inside  seats  are  covered  with 
cloth  or  morocco.  Hat  straps  are  attached  to  the  roof  and 
pockets  to  the  doors.  The  lamps  and  a  jointed  whip  should 
be  stored  away  above  the  tops  of  the  front  or  back  seat. 
The  aprons  for  passengers  should  be  folded  and  placed  on 
the  front  seat.  In  the  front  boot  should  be  placed  an  extra 
lead  and  wheel  trace,  a  rein  splicer,  extra  hame  straps,  a  kit 


FIG.  48. 


FOOTBOARD  CLOCK. 


94  ORIGIN  OF  SEVERAL   DESIGNS. 

of  tools  containing  a  jack-knife,  a  harness  punch,  pliers,  coil 
of  copper  wire  and  medium  sized  rope,  wheel  wrench,  candles, 
matches,  oil  can,  etc.,  the  waterproof  aprons  and  the  loin 
cloths.  The  hind  boot  should  be  fitted  with  luncheon  boxes 
and  wine  racks. 

The  shutters  are  drawn  up  and  down  as  described  under 
brougham  appointments  but  should  remain  up  when  coach 
is  being  driven  by  a  servant. 

For  type  of  horses,  see  p.  132. 

For  details  of  harness,  see  p.  21 1. 


FIG.    49. 
MAIN   AND    LEAD    BARS. 

SERVANTS.  Both  to  be  in  boots  and  breeches.  Body 
coats  to  be  cut  as  prescribed  for  groom's  coat.  (See  Chapter 
XIII.) 

"  Park  teams  to  be  shown  before  drags ;  owners  or  members  of  any  Coaching 
Club  to  drive.  Horses  to  count  50  per  cent;  drags,  25  ;  harness,  15  ;  liveries,  10. 
The  horses  should  have  quality,  action  and  good  manners,  and  not  be  under 
fifteen  hands."  —  From  the  Catalogue  of  the  National  Horse  Show  Association. 

ORIGIN    OF    SEVERAL    DESIGNS. 

Many,  in  fact  most,  of  the  standard  designs  of  vehicles 
now  used  in  this  country  are  of  foreign  origin.  The  develop- 
ment of  several  types  of  carriages  described  by  Mr.  Watson 
in  the  volume  entitled  "  Driving"  in  the  Badminton  library 
conflicts  with  the  statements  made  by  some  recent  writers  in 


FO  UR-  WHEELERS.  95 

this  country  and  therefore  the  author  has  taken  the  liberty 
of  transcribing  from  Mr.  Watson's  chapter  such  remarks 
as  bear  on  the  history  of  the  following  vehicles : 

» 

FOUR-WHEELERS. 

The  Coach : 

"  The  word  drag  is  often  employed  as  if  it  represented 
a  distinct  type  of  vehicle.  A  drag,  however,  is  merely  a 
slang  name  for  a  gentleman's  coach." — p.  jj. 

"  The  following  figures  are  taken  from  one  of  the 
best  running  road  coaches,  made  by  most  scientific 
builders,  but  they  need  not,  therefore,  be  put  down  as 
figures  to  be  invariably  adopted.  They  constitute 
rather  a  fair  average  guide.  The  length  of  the  pole 
may  be  put  as  10  ft.  8  in.,  and,  strange  to  say,  the 
entire  length  of  the  coach  comes  to  within  an  inch  of 
the  same,  viz.,  10  ft.  9  in.,  the  body  being  4  ft.  10  in., 
the  hind  boot  2  ft.  9  in.,  and  the  front  3  ft.  2  in.  The 
splinter  bar  measures  6  ft.,  the  main  bar  3  ft.  9  in.,  and 
the  leading  bars  3  ft.  i  in.  each  ;  the  front  wheels  are 
3  ft.  2  in.  in  height;  the  hind  wheels  4  ft;  distance 
between  front  and  hind  wheels  2  ft.  6  in. 

"  The  height  of  coach,  measuring  to  the  roof,  just 
over  door,  is  6  ft.  n.  in.,  and  the  bottom  of  the  coach 
is  2  ft.  9  in.  from  the  ground  ;  the  carriage  or  side 
springs  are  2  ft.  4^  in.,  and  the  body  or  cross  springs 
which  connect  the  above,  3  ft.  1 1  in.  The  front  boot 
is  3  ft.  2  in.  wide,  and  the  hind  boot  is  3  ft.  i  in. ;  the 
space  between  decks  from  the  bottom  to  the  top  of 
the  coach  inside  is  4  ft.  and  the  distance  between  the 
wheels  5  ft.  8  in. ;  the  depth  of  the  footboard  2  ft.  i  in., 


96  FO  UR-  WHEELERS. 

breadth  3  ft.  10  in.;  the  height  from  the  ground  at 
heel,  5  ft. ;  the  slope  upwards  to  the  front  being  made 
to  suit  the  size  of  the  horses,  as  well  as  in  some  cases 
the  length  of  the  coachman's  legs.  A  coach  built  on 
these  lines  will  follow  well  without  rolling,  and  be,  if 
not  quite,  nearly  perfect."  --p.  49. 

The  Brougham : 

"  Lord  Brougham  did  not  invent  the  carriage  which 
long  before  1837  was  a  common  vehicle  in  the  streets 
of  Paris  or  to  be  hired  as  a  voiture  de  place.  .  .  .  Lord 
Brougham  had  the  good  sense  to  import  one  from  Paris 
and  to  have  one  built  by  an  English  coach  builder,  who, 
whilst  sticking  nearly  to  the  lines  of  the  original,  made 
it  more  elegant,  lighter  and  stronger.  The  form  is 
simple  and  sensible  in  the  extreme,  and,  as  we  have  seen 
of  late  years,  is  capable  of  all  sorts  of  modifications." 
-/.  47. 

The  Victoria : 

"In  the  summer  of  1850  another  royal  carriage, 
which  has  since  attained  great  popularity,  was  first 
introduced  into  England,  though  the  vehicle  was  not 
quite  a  novelty  to  those  who  were  familiar  with  the 
summer  street  cabs  of  Paris.  This  was  the  Victoria, 
not  precisely,  it  may  be,  the  vehicle  which  the  reader  will 
first  picture  to  himself,  for  the  Victoria,  with  a  seat  in 
front  for  the  driver,  came  afterwards.  The  earliest 
example  now  in  question  was  a  pony  phaeton  to  hold 
two,  one  of  whom  drove."  — /.  48. 

The  Phaeton : 

"The  phaeton  had,  in  fact,  already  (1794)  come  into 
vogue,  though,  so  far  as  can  be  ascertained  in  the  early 


TWO-WHEELERS.  97 

carriages  of  this  class,  there  was  no  hind  seat.  The 
body  of  the  vehicle  was  placed  high  above  and  exactly 
over  the  front  wheels,  and  they  were  attached  to  the 
hind  wheels,  which  were  of  considerable  height,  by 
a  perch  of  wood  strengthened  by  plates  of  iron.  There 
was  a  hood  which  could  be  raised  or  lowered  after  the 
existing  fashion." — p.  40. 
The  Stanhope: 

"  Contemporary  with  the  cabriolet  were  the  Stanhope 
and  Tilbury,  both  named  after  their  designers,  the 
former  having  been  built  about  1815  for  the  Hon.  Fitz- 
roy  Stanhope.  The  other,  with  seven  springs  instead 
of  four,  was  lighter  looking,  though  in  reality  heavier." 

-A  43- 
The  Wagonette : 

"About  1842  or  1843,  Mr.  Lovell,  coach  builder  of 
Amersham,  Bucks,  built  what  is  now  so  generally  known 
as  a  wagonette  for  Lord  Curzon;  and  Mr.  Holmes,  of 
Derby,  built  one  for  the  Earl  of  Chesterfield ;  and  in  the 
year  1845  one  was  made  under  the  superintendence  of 
the  late  Prince  Consort  for  the  use  of  Her  Majesty  and 
the  Royal  family,  by  the  late  Mr.  George  Hooper." 
-/.  48. 


TWO-WHEELERS. 

The  Gig: 

"  It  may  possibly  have  been  some  ingenious  but  suf- 
fering traveller  in  a  sedan  cart  who  devised  the  gig, 
an  illustration  of  which  in  1754  shows  the  germ  of  a 
whole  array  of  two-wheeled  carnages." — p.  32. 

7 


98  TWO-  WHEELERS. 

The  Curricle: 

"  It  is  said  to  have  been  of  Italian  origin,  and  found  its 
way  to  England  early  in  the  present  century,  to  become 
extremely  popular,  if  popular  be  the  correct  term  to 
employ  in  describing  a  vehicle  which  was  very  luxuri- 
ous, inasmuch  as  it  was  chiefly  a  show  carriage  and,  in 
spite  of  its  lightness,  was  drawn  by  a  pair  of  horses. 
The  curricle  was  a  two-wheeled  carriage  with  a  hood, 
and  the  only  two-wheeled  vehicle  used  with  two  horses 
abreast."  -  -/.  40. 

The  Cabriolet: 

"The  curricle  was  to  a  great  extent  ousted  by  the 
cabriolet,  a  two-wheeled  carriage,  imported  from  France 
early  in  the  present  century."  — /.  42. 

The  Two-wheel  Dogcart: 

"  Gigs,  we  are  informed,  were  occasionally  '  used  for 
shooting,  when  the  lockers  were  made  with  Venetian 
blinds  to  carry  the  dogs,  and  then  it  became  a  dog- 
cart/ "  —p.  44. 

•f  .. . 

The  Hansom : 

"While  on  the  subject  of  two-wheeled  carriages,  it 
may  be  well  to  include  the  popular  hansom.  The  in- 
ventor was  a  Mr.  Joseph  Hansom,  a  Leicestershire 
architect.  In  1834  he  obtained  a  patent  for  his  new 
and  very  original  form  of  cabriolet." — /.  44. 


CHAPTER  VI. 
THE   POINTS   OF   THE    HORSE. 

CONFORMATION,   ACTION,   COLOR,    SOUNDNESS,   MEASURING,  SEX 

AND  MANNERS. 

UNFORTUNAT  ELY 
it  is  not  within  the 
scope  of  every  per- 
son's accomplish- 
ments to  become  a 
judge  of  a  horse,  but 
it  is  quite  possible  for 
any  intelligent  and 
persevering  individ- 
ual to  acquire  suffi- 
cient technical  in- 
formation to  advantageously  exercise  a  negative  voice  in 
making  a  purchase.  As  such  knowledge  has  its  limitations 
clearly  defined,  it  is  not  that  which  constitutes  the  proverbial 
dangerous^  amount  of  little  learning. 

There  are  certain  qualifications  that  are  common  to  all 
first-class  horses,  which  in  principle  are  as  applicable  to  the 
hunter  or  coach  horse  as  to  the  Shetland  pony ;  in  fact,  they 
are  found  in  good  horses  of  all  types.  These  points  are 
correct  proportion,  quality  and  manners.  In  describing  con- 
formation it  is  necessary  to  resort  to  technical  terms,  and  to 
make  the  meaning  of  these  clear  an  explanatory  diagram  of 
the  horse  is  given. 


100 


CONFORM  A  TION. 


I. 

Head. 

9- 

Crest. 

17- 

Fetlock  joint. 

25- 

Hock. 

2. 

Forehead. 

10. 

Windpipe. 

18. 

Pastern. 

26. 

Canon. 

3- 

Nose. 

n. 

Shoulder. 

19. 

Hoof. 

27. 

Coronet. 

4- 

Nostril. 

12. 

Brisket. 

20. 

Ribs. 

28. 

Dock. 

5- 

Chin-groove. 

13. 

Withers. 

21. 

Belly. 

29. 

Croup. 

6. 

Jowl. 

14. 

Forearm. 

22. 

Sheath. 

30- 

Loin. 

7- 

Neck. 

15- 

Knee. 

23. 

Thigh. 

3i- 

Back. 

8. 

Poll. 

16. 

Canon. 

24. 

Gaskin. 

32. 

Flank. 

CONFORMATION. 


The  horse  has  first  to  be  considered  merely  as  a  ma- 
chine in  which  the  power  of  propulsion  is  primarily  deter- 
mined by  the  balance  of  the  parts.  The  exact  proportional 


CONFORMATION.  101 

relation  of  one  part  to  another  is  never  detrimental,  but  al- 
ways essential  to  the  highest  fulfilment  of  the  power  of  loco- 
motion. That  a  horse  of  excellent  proportion  is  not  neces- 
sarily a  perfect  machine  is  not  due  to  the  existence  of  this 
balance,  but  usually  to  a  defective  motor  force,  t.  e.,  nervous 
system,  or  muscular  development.  The  lack  of  balance 
reduces  the  power  and  endurance  in  multiple  ratio;  and 
of  two  horses,  other  things  being  equal,  the  one  with  dis- 
proportionately light  legs,  heavy  neck  or  body  will  be  the 
less  useful  animal.  As  the  strength  of  a  chain  is  only  that 
of  its  weakest  link,  so  the  power  of  a  horse  is  determined 
by  his  most  defective  part.  In  fact,  great  strength  or  weight 
in  one  part  often  serves  to  make  a  defective  point  weaker. 
A  heavy  body  on  light  legs  only  tends  to  weaken  the  limbs 
instead  of  giving  greater  power  in  draught  by  its  size. 

The  following  relative  measurements  are  found  approxi- 
mately true  in  all  types  of  well  proportioned  horses  used  by 
private  owners. 

The  height  from  the  ground  to  the  withers  is  equal  to 
the  length  from  the  chest  to  a  line  dropped  vertically  from 
the  point  of  the  buttock. 

The  height  from  the  ground  to  the  point  of  the  croup  is 
equal  to  that  from  the  ground  to  the  withers. 

The  distance  from  the  ground  to  the  brisket  is  equal  to 
that  from  the  point  of  the  withers  to  the  point  of  the  croup. 

The  distance  from  the  point  of  the  elbow  to  the  stifle 
corresponds  with  that  from  the  ground  to  the  brisket,  and 
from  the  point  of  the  withers  to  the  forehead,  the  head 
being  held  in  a  naturally  elevated  position. 

The  length  of  the  head  is  equal  to  the  depth  of  the 
body  at  the  lowest  point  of  the  back. 


102  THE  HEAD. 

THE    HEAD. 

The  proper  proportion  of  the  length  of  a  horse's  head  to 
his  body  has  been  found  to  be  about  i  to  2%.  ;  or  approxi- 
mately the  same  as  the  depth  of  the  body  of  a  well-conditioned 
horse  at  the  lowest  point  of  the  back. 

The  bones,  muscles  and  blood  vessels  should  not  be 
obscured  by  coarse  tissue,  but  each  should  stand  out  in  a 
clearly  marked  manner. 

The  outline  of  the  head  may  be  straight,  concave  or  con- 
vex. Against  the  latter  shape,  when  it  is  confined  to  the 
upper  part  of  the  head,  there  is  a  prejudice  born  of  experi- 
ence, such  conformation  being  the  accompaniment  of  a  bad 
disposition.  „ 

From  the  front  the  breadth  of  the  head,  between  and 
just  above  the  eyes,  should  be  pronounced.  Above  and 
below  this  point  the  head  should  taper  down  rather  abruptly, 
but  the  outside  line  of  those  parts  just  above  the  eyes  should 
extend  for  a  short  distance  parallel  to  each  other. 

The  ears  should  be  moderately  far  apart  and  compara- 
tively small,  thin  and  evenly  shaped  rather  than  large,  thick 
and  curved,  either  in  or  out.  The  writer's  preference  is  for 
a  horse  that,  by  the  constant  movement  of  the  ears  in  atten- 
tion to  sounds,  shows  much  mental  activity. 

The  eyes  should  be  large,  bright,  and  with  a  gentle 
expression.  Horses  with  small  eyes  or  with  those  exhibiting 
much  of  the  white  are  considered  to  be  of  sullen  or  ugly 
disposition. 

The  nostrils  and  lips  should  be  thin ;  the  former,  more- 
over, should  be  large,  wide  apart  and  easily  flexed  when  the 
animal  is  inhaling.  Small  nostrils  indicate  a  limited  breath- 
ing power. 


THE  NECK.  103 

THE    NECK. 

The  outline  of  the  upper  part  of  the  neck  should  be  con- 
vex rather  than  concave  (or  ewe  necked),  and  at  either  end 
the  curve  should  flatten  out  where  the  neck  joins  the  head 
and  body.  The  outline  of  the  under  part  of  the  neck  should 
be  similarly  convex  with  a  slight  reverse  curve  under  the 
jowl,  but  the  other  end  of  the  outline,  where  the  neck  joins 
the  body,  ends  rather  abruptly  with  an  inward  sweep. 

As  the  length  of  the  neck  indicates  the  length  of  the 
leverage  muscles  operating  the  forward  movement  of  the 
shoulders,  horses  possessing  speed  have  longer  necks  than 
those  best  suited  to  draught  purposes. 

The  upper  part  of  th$  neck  should  be  narrow  and  heavy 
rather  than  deep  and  thin ;  while  the  lower  part  should  be 
deep,  thin,  not  thick,  and  well  cut  away  in  front  of  the 
shoulders  unless  for  very  heavy  draught. 

The  windpipe  should  be  large  and  have  the  appearance 
of  being  loose,  rather  detached  from  the  neck. 

In  addition  to  the  effect  of  the  make  and  shape  of  the 
neck  on  the  powers  of  locomotion,  they  have  considerable 
influence  irf  determining  the  extent  to  which  the  bit  will  act 
on  the  mouth.  A  horse  with  a  well-shaped  neck  will  be 
better  able  to  flex  it  so  that  the  bit  can  fall  on  the  bars  of 
the  mouth  (that  part  lying  between  the  front  and  back  teeth). 
Some  horses  with  ill-formed  necks  are  unable  to  bend  them 
in  such  a  manner  that,  when  the  bit  is  acted  upon  by 
the  reins  being  drawn,  the  mouthpiece  can  fall  upon  the 
bars.  Such  horses  are  never  so  well  in  hand,  and  as  a  rule 
have  neither  so  light  nor  fine  a  mouth  as  animals  with  better 
formed  necks.  (See  illustration  of  the  polo  pony  in 
harness.) 


104  THE  BODY. 

THE    BODY. 

The  relative  proportion  of  the  depth  of  the  bdy,  meas- 
ured from  the  withers  to  the  brisket,  to  the  lendi  of  the 
body  is  a  trifle  less  than  one-half. 

The  body  or  centrepiece  should  be  compact. with  but 
little  space  between  the  last  ribs  and  the  thigh. 

The  ribs  should  be  well  rounded  and  of  considerable 
depth.  Flat-sided  horses,  other  things  being  equal  have  not 
the  substance  that  horses  have  that  are  the  possssors  of 
good  barrels.  The  ribs  should  be  well  extended  rom  the 
chest  to  the  loins.  As  has  been  said  above,  there  aould  be 
but  little  space  between  the  last  ribs  and  the  stile  joint, 
and  if  the  space  is  not  more  than  the  width  of  thre  or  four 
fingers  the  horse  may  be  considered  well  knit  toether  in 
this  respect.  Too  much  stress  cannot  be  laid  upon  a  horse 
being  well  ribbed  up. 

The  withers  should  be  high,  as  they  form  the  tcture  to 
which  the  suspensory  muscles  of  the  neck,  the  mscles  of 
the  upper  part  of  the  back,  and  the  forward  one  of  the 
shoulder  are  attached.  High  withers  are  especially  esirable 
in  a  saddle  horse  ;  their  value  however  is  dependat  upon 
the  presence  of  moderately  developed  muscles.  If  te  with- 
ers are  too  lean  they  are  apt  to  become  injured  fom  the 
pressure  of  the  pommel  of  the  saddle,  and  if  too  heay  their 
efficiency  in  keeping  the  saddle  in  place  is  lost. 

In  all  horses  that  are  to  perform  light  and  rapi  work 
the  longer  and  more  sloping  the  shoulder  the  bette  is  the 
animal  qualified  to  fulfil  this  class  of  work. 

The  back  and  loins  should  be  short,  broad,  at  and 
nearly  straight.  A  hollow  back  is  the  sign  of  wakness. 
The  croup  should  be  almost  straight  (the  horse  "Whit  of  the 


THE   LEGS   AND  FEET.  105 

Town"  offers  a  striking  illustration  of  this  point).  Any  great 
obliqueness  of  this  part  results  in  diminishing  the  power  of 
propulsion. 

The  dock  (the  solid  part  of  the  tail)  of  a  well  bred  horse 
should  be  short,  set  fairly  high  on  the  croup  and  carried 
gayly  and  well  away  from  the  body. 

The  anus  should  be  prominent,  small  and  firm ;  the 
reverse  indicates  a  weak  constitution. 

THE    LEGS    AND    FEET THE    FORE    LEGS. 

The  fore  legs  should  be  straight,  flat  on  the  sides  and 
hard.  They  should  be  set  moderately  far  apart,  and  as  the 
weight  of  the  body  is  best  supported  when  the  fore  feet  are 
a  little  under  it,  the  legs  should  fall  back  of  a  line  dropped 
from  the  shoulder. 

Viewed  from  the  front  the  feet  should  turn  neither  in  nor 
out.  In  case  the  feet  are  not  perfectly  straight  it  is  prefer- 
able to  have  them  turn  out. 

The  elbows  should  stand  out  far  enough  from  the  body 
to  insure  perfect  freedom  to  these  joints. 

The  bones  of  the  forearms  and  lower  parts  of  the  legs 
should  be  large,  and  the  muscles  well  developed.  Viewed 
from  the  side,  the  line  of  the  front  of  the  legs  should  be 
straight ;  any  forward  bend  is  termed  "  over  in  the  knees," 
and  any  backward  inclination  is  called  "  calf-kneed." 

The  tendons  at  the  back  of  the  lower  part  of  the  leg 
should  be  nearly  parallel  to  the  canon  bones ;  if  they  tend 
to  converge  with  the  bones  at  the  knees,  "tied  in  at  the 
knees,"  the  animal  is  predisposed  to  weakness  in  these 
parts.  The  tendons  should  be  well  developed  and  tense. 

The  knees  should  be  broad  in  front  and  clearly  defined. 


106  THE  LEGS  AND  FEET. 

The  preference  for  knees  that  are  "  well  let  down  "  is  due  to 
the  advantage  of  a  horse  having  a  short  canon  and  a  long 
forearm. 

The  fetlocks  viewed  from  the  side  should  not  extend  be- 
yond the  lines  of  the  canon  bones  and  back  tendons,  but 
their  roundness  should  be  apparent  when  viewed  from  the 
front. 

The  pasterns  should  be  moderately  long  and  sloping,  in 
order  to  give  the  elasticity  required  to  offset  the  concussion 
which  the  foot  would  otherwise  receive  and  transmit  to  the 
body.  Horses  may  have  pasterns  that  slope  to  such  a  de- 
gree that  they  are  unable  to  bear  the  weight  of  the  body, 
which  results  in  their  "breaking  down";  but  in  the  majority 
of  cases  the  pasterns  are  too  upright,  and  under  such  con- 
ditions the  delicate  construction  of  the  feet  is  injured,  as 
well  as  the  bones  and  tendons  of  the  legs.  It  is  impossible 
to  describe  what  the  exact  length  and  slope  of  the  pastern 
should  be,  but  the  reader  may  form  a  correct  idea  by  study 
of  the  plate  representing  "  The  Whirl  of  the  Town." 

HIND    LEGS. 

As  the  hind  legs  afford  the  chief  power  of  propulsion,  it 
is  important  that  a  proper  relation  in  size  and  length 
should  exist  between  the  various  joints,  together  with  good 
muscular  development. 

As  the  weight  of  the  body  is  best  supported  when  the 
hind  feet  are  under  the  end  of  the  croup,  the  hocks  and  fet- 
locks should  fall  a  little  back  of  a  line  dropped  from  the 
buttocks. 

Viewed  from  the  rear  the  thighs  should  be  long  and  well 
rounded,  the  legs  from  the  hocks  to  the  fetlocks  parallel 


THE  LEGS  AND  FEET.  107 

and  moderately  far  apart.  If  they  tend  to  converge  at  the 
hocks,  "cow-hocks,"  or  at  the  fetlocks,  their  power  of  support 
is  lessened.  Hocks  that  turn  outward  tend  to  diminish  the 
speed. 

Viewed  from  the  side,  the  curve  from  the  buttocks  to  the 
hocks  should  be  moderate  (neither  very  deep  nor  very 
slight).  The  hocks  should  be  large,  "  well  let  down,"  and 
their  junction  with  the  part*  above  and  below  free  from  any 
abrupt  differences  in  size. 

The  canon  bones  should  be  short  and  broad  and  flat  on 
the  sides.  The  line  from  the  hocks  to  the  fetlocks  should 
be  straight,  and  the  tendons  hard  and  well  defined.  If  this 
line  is  concave,  "  sickle-hocks,"  the  power  of  propulsion  is 
lessened  ;  and  if  convex  a  "  curby  "  tendency,  or  the  exist- 
ence of  curbs,  is  indicated. 

The  fetlocks  have  been  described  in  a  preceding  para- 
graph treating  of  the  fore  legs. 

The  pasterns  should  be  somewhat  shorter  and  straighter 
than  those  of  the  fore  legs,  as  their  chief  function  is  that  of 
propulsion ;  and  not  being  subjected  to  the  same  amount 
of  concussion  it  is  desirable  that  strength  should  be  para- 
mount to  elasticity. 

THE    FEET. 

The  feet  should  be  moderately  large  and  uniform  in 
size. 

The  wall  should  be  smooth,  hard  and  long  enough  to 
give  a  depth  of  fully  an  inch  at  the  heels.  A  rough  wall 
indicates  a  diseased  condition. 

The  slope  of  the  hoofs  of  the  fore  feet  is  greater  than  that 
of  the  hind  ones,  and  corresponds  more  or  less  accurately  with 


108  QUALITY. 

the  difference  in  the  angles  of  the  fore  and  hind  pasterns. 
The  angle  of  the  fore  feet  is  about  fifty  degrees,  and  that  of 
the  hind  ones  sixty  degrees.  The  inner  sides,  called  the  in- 
ner quarters,  slope  less  than  the  outer  quarters. 

The  heels  and  bars  should  be  neither  verv  narrow  nor 

j 

unduly  wide;  the  former  condition  indicates  a  tendency  to 
contraction,  and  the  latter  to  weakness. 

The  sole  of  the  hoof  should  be  smooth  and  hard.  A 
scaly  or  chalky  condition  is  a  sign  of  an  unhealthy  state. 
The  ouline  of  the  soft,  rubber-like  substance  called  the 
"frog"  should  be  clearly  defined,  and  the  parts  well  devel- 
oped and  pliable.  If,  after  the  feet  are  washed  out,  a  dis- 
agreeable odor  is  detected,  it  is  an  indication  of  the  exist- 
ence of  thrush  or  some  other  form  of  disease. 

QUALITY. 

Quality  in  a  horse  is  the  same  as  it  is  in  a  person.  It  is 
necessary  that  both  should  possess  the  highest  fulfilment  of 
mental  and  physical  attributes ;  the  latter  to  be  in  harmony 
with  the  size  of  the  man  or  the  animal.  Quality  may  exist 
in  horses  of  all  sizes,  but  there  are  certain  types  that  offer  a 
better  setting  than  others  for  the  display  of  this  property. 
All  the  fineness  of  outline  and  texture  may  be  present,  but 
hidden  by  a  heavy  coat  or  bad  condition,  etc.  For  the  same 
reason  those  animals  which  are  kept  trimmed  up  and  are 
otherwise  carefully  cared  for  are  afforded  a  better  chance  to 
display  whatever  degree  of  quality  they  possess.  A  horse 
may  show  that  he  is  well  bred  without  possessing  quality, 
and  hence  breeding  and  quality  cannot  be  considered  as 
being  synonymous. 

A  correspondent  to  one  of  the  papers  devoted    to  the 


ACTION.  109 

interest  of  affairs  pertaining  to   the    horse  says,  regarding 
quality  : 

"  The  term  has  long  been  in  use  in  England,  but  only  of  late  years  in 
this  country,  and  your  columns  have  given  ample  proof  of  the  existence  of 
vague  and  misty,  not  to  say  erroneous,  ideas  on  the  part  of  many  correspond- 
ents. I  have  often  been  asked  to  explain  what  is  meant,  and  have  found 
the  easiest  method  to  be  by  illustration. 

"  Almost  every  one  will  be  able  to  recall  some  one  of  his  acquaintance 
who,  though  clothed  in  the  coarsest  homespun,  could  never,  even  in  silent 
repose,  be  taken  for  anything  but  a  gentleman ;  and  again  another  person 
who,  in  spite  of  all  the  efforts  of  his  tailor  and  the  dancing  master,  fails  to 
produce  any  such  impression. 

"  If  the  reason  be  analyzed  the  former  will  be  found  to  have  clear  cut 
features,  a  well  poised  head,  shapely  hands  and  feet,  and  an  intelligent, 
expressive  countenance.  The  toute  ensemble  of  the  two  seems  to  show  that 
one  is  made  of  coarser  clay  than  the  other.  The  same  difference  exists  in 
horses.  A  horse  corresponding  to  the  former  will  be  described  by  one  good 
judge  as  '  true  formed  and  full  of  quality,'  while  another  equally  good  judge 
would  express  his  admiration  by  declaring  him  to  be  '  a  gentleman  from  head 
to  heel.' 

"  I  had  written  thus  far  when  it  occurred  to  me  that  Bacon,  Shakespeare, 
Addison  and  other  writers  of  their  time  constantly  referred  to  the  nobility 
and  gentry  as  the  quality,  and  on  turning  to  a  dictionary  I  find  :  '  Quality  — 
superior  rank,  superiority  of  birth  or  standing,  as  persons  of  quality,  ladies 
of  quality.'  " 

ACTION. 

The  action  most  to  be  desired  is  that  which  is  perfectly 
natural  to  a  well-formed  spirited  animal  in  the  full  flower  of 
youth  and  physical  development.  Owing  to  a  man's  ability 
to  make  an  ill-formed  or  aged  horse  produce  a  similar  (not 
the  same)  effect,  this  action  is  frequently  mistaken  by  a  novice 
to  indicate  the  necessarily  good  conformation  and  high  cour- 
age of  a  "  natural  all-round  fine  actor." 

A  horse  of  good  formation  that  stands  well  usually  walks 


110  ACTION. 

well  and  in  turn  trots  equally  well.  A  horse's  limbs  should 
move  with  the  freedom,  ease,  evenness  and  precision  of  a 
pendulum.  The  movement  of  the  fore  legs  should  commence 
at  the  shoulders,  the  feet  being  lightly  and  smoothly  lifted 
from  the  ground  and  carried  well  forward  at  such  a  height 
as  to  safely  pass  over  any  ordinary  obstruction.  The  knees 
should  be  flexed  in  front  and  not  under  the  body.  The  feet 
must  fall  squarely  but  lightly  on  the  ground,  so  that  the 
shoes  are  worn  down  evenly.  The  elasticity  of  the  pastern 
joint  should  serve  to  take  up  the  shock  occasioned  by  the 
leg  resuming  its  support  of  the  body.  In  a  complete  move- 
ment of  the  fore  legs  there  should  be  no  dishing  nor  swaying 
nor  dipping  of  the  body. 

Dishing  and  paddling  are  indicated  by  a  horse  throw- 
ing the  fore  leg  to  one  side  or  the  other  of  a  vertical  line 
dropped  from  the  shoulder.  Dishing  or  paddling  may  be 
detected  by  standing  squarely  behind  a  horse:  if  he  dishes, 
the  fore  feet  when  elevated  will  be  thrown  outward  ;  if  he 
paddles,  the  fore  feet  will  be  thrown  inward. 

The  hind  legs  should  act  in  perfect  harmony  with  the 
fore  legs.  The  former  should  be  drawn  well  under  the  body, 
the  hocks  well  flexed  and  the  movement  springy.  Viewed 
from  the  rear  the  hind  feet  should  pass  clear  of  each  other 
by  from  two  to  four  inches.  If  very  much  closer,  the  horse 
either  brushes  (interferes)  or  is  predisposed  to  this  serious 
fault;  when  the  space  is  increased  above  six  inches  the  horse 
will  have  a  tendency  to  roll  or  straddle  with  a  swinging 
stifle  action. 

The  sensational  and  flashy  action  that  is  met  with  in 
many  of  the  horses  of  the  large  cities  detracts  from  the  ani- 
mal's power  and  speed ;  the  energy  is  unprofitably  ex- 


COLOR.  Ill 

pended,  the  reach  of  the  stride  is  shortened.  In  nine  cases 
out  of  ten  there  is  an  entire  absence  of  corresponding  action 
in  the  hind  legs,  which  gives  these  limbs  the  appearance  of 
belonging  to  another  horse.  This  extravagant  indication  of 
sustained  animation  is  very  fetching,  and  possibly  desirable 
as  a  fitting  accompaniment  to  a  well  appointed  calling  car- 
riage or  the  park  trap,  but  —  and  it  is  a  very  serious  "  but  " — 
this  beautiful  action  is  largely  an  artificial  development,  ob- 
tained by  weighting  the  feet  or  schooling  the  horse  over  corn- 
stalks, etc.  When  once  the  animal  has  become  accustomed  to 
such  an  exaggerated  form  of  locomotion  the  conditions  that 
make  it  excusable  are  removed  and  the  horse  is  placed  on  a 
comparatively  level  road.  It  may  be  argued  that  as  this  high 
action  is  confined  to  horses  which  are  only  required  to  do 
about  half  the  work  they  are  capable  of  performing,  the  use- 
less expenditure  of  force  does  no  harm  and  unquestionably 
looks  "  smart."  The  defence  of  this  senseless  fashion  is 
weak  only  in  one  spot,  but  in  that  lies  the  absolute  destruc- 
tion of  the  argument  in  its  defence.  As  these  high,  flashy 
actioned  steeds  are  generally  used  by  owners  in  large  cities, 
the  poor  animals  are  punished  at  every  step  by  the  concus- 
sion occasioned  by  the  heavy  pounding  on  the  non-elastic 
pavements.  A  proof  of  this  may  be  seen  in  the  scarcity  of 
sound-legged,  high-actioned  horses  that*have  had  more  than 
a  year  or  so  of  service  over  the  cobblestones.  The  excess- 
ive development  of  high  action,  if  considered  seriously,  can 
only  be  deemed  a  cruel  and  expensive  artificial  production 
of  fashion. 

COLOR. 
The  old  superstitious  preference  for  some  combinations 


112  COLOR. 

of  colors  is  passing  away,  and  it  will  only  be  remembered  by 
such  jingles  as : 

"  One  white  foot,  buy  him  ; 
Two  white  feet,  try  him ; 
Three  white  feet,  spy  him ; 
Four  white  feet,  do  without  him ; 
Four  white  feet  and  a  white  nose, 
Cut  off  his  head  and  give  him  to  the  crows." 

That  preference  and  prejudices  regarding  color  exist  to- 
day there  is  no  question,  but  they  are  determined  by  fashion 
rather  than  upon  any  belief  that  the  character  and  constitu- 
tion are  indicated  by  the  number  of  white  feet  or  the  exist- 
ence of  a  snip.  However,  as  the  strength  of  the  color  is 
thought  to  be  dependent  upon  the  circulation  of  the  blood, 
horsemen  are  partial  to  deep  colored  coats,  and  for  the  same 
reason  dislike  horses  whose  coats  become  "  washy"  (light  at 
the  extremities).  Another  point  regarding  color,  reasonably 
considered  more  seriously  by  hackmen,  draymen  and  farmers 
than  by  the  private  owner,  is  the  greater  ability  of  dark 
horses  to  withstand  the  effects  of  heat,  a  fact  readily  ex- 
plained, as  it  is  well  known  that  light  colored  objects  absorb 
and  give  out  heat  more  slowly  than  dark  ones  which  absorb 
and  radiate  heat  rapidly.  Dark  coated  horses  are  cooled  by 
the  rapid  condensation  of  the  vapor  thrown  off,  while 
light  colored  coats,  though  a  little  longer  in  feeling  the  effects 
of  the  sun,  receive  proportionately  less  relief. 

White  and  gray  horses  are  unpopular  with  both  owners 
and  stable  servants.  With  the  former  on  account  of  the 
loose  hairs  being  more  noticeable  on  the  clothes  and  robes 
when  the  horse  is  shedding;  and  with  the  latter  (the  ser- 
vants) owing  to  the  extra  work  occasioned  by  the  coat 
becoming  stained. 


COLOR.  113 

The  horse's  skin  is  usually  black  throughout,  but  it  is 
sometimes  pink  in  parts.  The  latter  is  free  from  pigment. 
Most  white  horses  have  black  skins,  but  generally  the  skin 
under  white  markings  is  pink ;  when  the  skin  is  pink  the 
hair  is  always  white. 

BAY  is  a  reddish  brown.  A  horse  may  be  light,  bright 
or  a  dark  bay,  according  to  the  depth  of  the  color  of  the  coat. 

BLACK.  Horses  of  this  color  have  usually  more  or  less 
white  at  the  extremities. 

BROWN  is  similar  to  bay,  but  without  the  reddish  shade. 
A  horse  may  be  light  or  a  dark  brown,  according  to  the 
depth  of  the  color  of  the  coat. 

CHESTNUT  is  a  golden  brown  or  reddish  gold  dust ; 
horses  of  this  color  are  often  marked  by  white  at  the  extremi- 
ties. A  horse  may  be  dark,  bright  or  light  (mealy),  accord- 
ing to  the  depth  of  the  color  of  the  coat. 

DAPPLED  is  a  coat  marked  with  rings  or  spots  of  a  darker 
color  than  the  ground  color. 

DUN  is  a  grayish  brown  or  dark  cream  color.  Horses  of 
this  color  are  generally  marked  by  black  at  the  extremities. 

FLEA-BITTEN  is  a  white  coat  in  which  red  or  dark  hairs 
are  largely  intermingled. 

GRAY  is  a  mixture  of  white  and  blctck  hairs.  A  horse 
may  be  light  or  dark  gray,  according  to  the  predominance 
of  either  the  black  or  white  hairs. 

PIEBALD  is,  strictly  speaking,  a  combination  of  black  and 
white  patches,  in  distinction  to  those  of  any  other  color. 

ROAN  is  of  a  reddish  or  bluish  shade,  in  which  gray 
hairs  are  present.  A  horse  may  be  a  red  roan,  blue  roan  or 
strawberry  roan,  according  to  the  character  of  the  ground 
color  of  the  coat. 


114  MEANS   OF  DETERMINING    THE   AGE. 

SKEWBALD  is  a  combination  of  colors  other  than  black  and 
white. 

SORREL  is  of  a  yellowish  or  reddish  brown  shade. 

In  doubtful  cases  the  color  of  the  horse  is  determined  by 
the  color  of  the  muzzles  or  lower  part  of  the  face. 

CROSS-MATCHED  is  the  term  used  to  describe  the  alternate 
shade  of  color  of  a  four-horse  team,  that  is,  where  the  nigh 
wheeler  is  dark,  the  off  wheeler  light,  the  nigh  leader  light 
and  the  off  leader  dark ;  or  when  in  the  reverse  order. 

FANCY-MATCHED  is  the  term  used  to  describe  a  distinct 
difference  in  color  between  horses  driven  as  a  pair  or  in 
tandem.  A  star  is  a  white  spot  on  the  forehead.  A  snip  is 
a  white  mark  extending  from  the  nostril  to  the  mouth.  A 
race  is  a  white  streak  on  the  face.  A  blaze  is  a  broad  patch 
of  white  covering  part  of  or  the  entire  face. 

MEANS    OF    DETERMINING   THE    AGE. 

The  age  of  a  horse  between  birth  and  the  sixth  year  can 
be  accurately  determined  by  the  changing  peculiarities  in 
the  formation  and  development  of  the  teeth,  especially  those 
of  the  lower  jaw.  After  the  sixth  year  the  age  can  only  be 
approximately  known,  yet  many  persons  profess  to  be  able 
to  tell  the  exact  age  of  any  horse  by  examining  the  teeth. 

"  After  the  mouth  is  fully  completed,  the  age  can  only  be  approximately 
determined  by  the  effect  of  wear  in  altering  the  shape  of  the  teeth,  by  the 
receding  of  the  gums  and  by  other  such  signs. 

"  Many  circumstances,  however,  often  contribute  to  modify  the  effect  of 
wear  on  the  teeth,  and  also  to  increase  or  decrease  the  action  of  time  in 
other  respects.  Hence,  after  six  years  old,  a  correct  opinion  can  only  be 


MEANS   OF  DETERMINING    THE  AGE.  115 

formed  by  those  who  have  given  to  the  subject  some  time,  thought  and 
trouble."  —  Sir  F.  Fitzwygram,  "  Horses  and  Stables"  p.  427. 

The  lower  jaw  of  a  horse  three  years  old  is  marked  by 
two  permanent  centre  teeth  and  two  milk  teeth  on  either 
side. 

The  lower  jaw  of  a  horse  four  years  old  is  marked  by 
four  permanent  centre  teeth  and  one  milk  tooth  on  either 
side.  If  the  horse  is  a  stallion  or  gelding  the  point  of  the 
tusks  or  tushes  appears  at  a  point  somewhat  farther  back  in 
the  bars  of  the  mouth. 

The  lower  jaw  of  a  horse  five  years  old  is  marked  by  six 
permanent  teeth  and  the  absence  of  the  milk  teeth.  The 
corner  teeth  are  without  any  interior  wall.  In  stallions  and 
geldings  the  tusks  have  become  more  prominent. 

The  lower  jaw  of  a  horse  six  years  old  is  marked  by  the 
six  permanent  teeth ;  the  corner  teeth  have  become  filled  in 
the  centre,  and  in  stallions  and  geldings  the  tusks  have  be- 
come developed. 

The  milk  teeth  are  smaller,  whiter  and  smoother  on  the 
surface  than  the  permanent  teeth.  After  the  sixth  year  the 
age  is  indicated  by  the  number  of  teeth  in  which  the  dark 
mark  in  the  centre  is  absent,  and  the  gradual  change  in  the 
shape  from  oval  to  almost  square.  At  seven  the  mark  dis- 
appears from  the  two  centre  teeth,  at  eight  years  from  the  four 
centre  teeth,  and  by  the  time  the  horse  has  reached  his  ninth 
year  the  mark  has  usually  disappeared  from  all.  The  pres- 
ence or  absence  of  these  marks  may  be  affected  by  influences 
other  than  those  of  increasing  age,  and  therefore  they  can- 
not be  depended  upon  to  accurately  determine  the  age  of 
the  horse. 


116  DEFECTS  AND   BLEMISHES. 

DEFECTS    AND  BLEMISHES. 

Scars  and  bruises  are  occasioned  either  by  accident  or 
brutality,  or  are  self-inflicted  owing  to  faulty  conformation, 
weakness  or  clumsiness.  When  these  telltales  are  discov- 
ered they  should  be  carefully  examined  in  order  to  deter- 
mine their  origin.  When  the  fault  lies  in  the  horse,  their 
appearance  is  limited  to  certain  locations,  and  the  position  of 
each  indicates  a  distinct  form  of  weakness  ;  thus  a  horse 
that  interferes  or  cuts  himself  will  cause  a  sore,  and  in  time 
a  scar,  to  mark  the  point  of  contact  between  the  leg  and  the 
hoof  or  shoe;  again,  the  absence  of  hair  on  the  knees  or 
patches  of  different  colored  hair  indicates  that  the  horse  is 
a  stumbler  and  has  at  some  time  come  down  upon  them,  or 
if  a  hunter  that  he  tops  his  fences.  Long,  thin  lines  free 
from  hair  just  under  the  fetlock  mark  the  animal  as  having 
suffered  or  suffering  from  grease,  sand  crack  or  mud  fever. 
A  line  of  white  spots  four  or  five  inches  long  and  an  inch 
wide  on  the  inside  of  the  leg  below  the  knee  confirms  a 
suspicion  that  the  horse  has  been  "fired"  for  splint,  and  so 
on  adinfinitum.  An  owner  or  dealer  has  a  long  list  of  ex- 
planations with  which  to  disarm  adverse  criticism  and  bol- 
ster up  an  animal's  reputation,  but  they  are  no  more  likely  to  be 
true  than  is  the  supposition  that  the  jade  is  a  high  stepper  and 
broke  the  skin  on  his  knees  by  hitting  them  against  his  chin. 
Horses  that  show  any  tenderness  or  lameness  when  driven 
or  ridden,  without  any  of  the  various  devices  employed  to 
lessen  concussion,  should  not  be  considered  sound.  When 
leather  pads  are  found  between  the  hoof  and  the  shoe,  or 
similar  contrivances  used,  the  horse  should  be  reshod  with  a 
plain  shoe  before  being  tried. 

Fortunately  the  various  remedies  resorted  to  in  serious 


MEASURING.  117 

cases  leave  unmistakable  traces  of  their  application  ;  the  dif- 
ficulty arises  in  discovering  weakness  and  faults  before  they 
have  given  any  self-evident  indication  of  their  presence. 

Any  of  the  following  conditions,  when  they  absolutely 
impair  the  usefulness  of  a  horse,  are  usually  considered  re- 
spectively unsoundness  or  vice.  When  they  exist  at  the 
time  of  purchase  the  buyer  is  justified  in  returning  a  horse 
that  has  been  guaranteed  sound  and  free  from  vice : 

Balkiness.  Cribbing.  Navicular.  Sidebones. 

Biting.  Curbs.  Unnerved.  Spavin. 

Blindness.  Farcy.  Ophthalmia.  Splint 

Bolting.  Glanders.  Organic  diseases.    Staggers. 

Broken  down.  Grease.  Quittor.  Stringhalt. 

Broken  knee.  Interfering.  Rearing.  Thick  wind. 

Broken  wind.  Kicking.  Rheumatism.  Thoroughpin. 

Cataract.  Laminitis.  Ringbones.  Thrush. 

Corns.  Mange.  Roaring.  Weaving. 

Cough.  Megrims.  Ruptures. 

Other  blemishes  than  those  mentioned,  such  as  those  re- 
sulting from  the  friction  of  the  harness,  or  from  knocks  and 
blows,  may  or  may  not  be  of  an  objectionable  nature,  and  as 
a  rule  are  merely  an  eyesore  or  indications  of  bad  blood  or 
a  tender  skin. 

MEASURING. 

To  properly  determine  the  height  of  a  horse  the  animal 
should  be  placed  on  a  level  floor  of  hard  substance.  The 
head  should  be  held  so  that  the  line  from  the  top  of  the 
horse's  head  (the  poll)  to  the  withers  is  parallel  with  the 
floor.  The  standard  should  be  at  right  angles  to  the  floor, 
and  the  arm  of  the  measure  at  right  angles  with  the  upright 
section.  The  point  at  which  the  measurement  should  be  taken 
is  at  the  highest  part  of  the  withers.  Many  standards  are 
made  with  spirit  levels  in  both  parts.  A  "hand"  is  four  inches. 


118  STALLIONS,   MARES  AND    GELDINGS. 

Should  a  purchaser  require  a  horse  of  a  certain  size  a 
dealer  can  often  make  his  animal,  if  undersized,  apparently 
accommodate  himself  to  the  demands  of  the  occasion  by 
placing  him  on  the  higher  part  of  sloping  ground,  or  vice 
versa  when  oversized.  Many  tricks  are  practised  to  make 
a  horse  flinch  when  the  standard  is  put  over  his  withers, 
and  the  hoofs  are  often  pared  down  to  such  an  extent  that 
the  horse  would  be  lamed  if  used  in  this  condition.  Then 
again,  after  being  physicked,  the  horse  is  fastened  with  his 
head  tied  high  up  and  is  not  allowed  to  lie  down  for  a  week 
or  ten  days. 

STALLIONS,  MARES  AND  GELDINGS. 

With  the  exception  of  stallions,  which  are  rarely  used, 
there  exists  considerable  diversity  of  opinion  regarding  sex, 
but  the  balance  of  preference  seems  to  be  in  favor  of  geld- 
ings. The  writer  has  at  the  present  time  in  his  stable  a 
stallion,  a  mare  and  a  gelding,  any  of  which  are  as  pleasant 
to  ride  or  drive  as  the  average  horse.  Still  there  are  many 
owners  whose  experience  has  taught  them  that,  taken  as  a 
class,  geldings  prove  the  most  serviceable  and  safest,  as  the 
most  vicious  representatives  of  the  latter  class  are  never  so 
unmanageable  as  a  violent  stallion  or  mare. 

Stanley  Harris,  in  "  Old  Coaching  Days,"  page  264,  in- 
troduces a  road  jingle  expressing  the  uncertain  disposition 
of  mares  as  follows : 

"  I  have  referred  principally  to  the  feminine  gender  in  the  above  re- 
marks, as  I  believe,  in  nine  cases  out  of  ten,  if  there  was  a  restive,  vicious 
animal  in  the  team,  it  turned  out  to  be  a  mare,  verifying  the  saying  of  the 
Irish  postboy,  when  the  gentleman  in  the  post  chaise  complained  of  the 
pair: 

Says  Paddy,  'These  mares  are  not  old  offinders, 

But  you  can't  place  no  reliance  on  feminine  ginders.' " 


MANNERS.  119 

Regarding  this  point  S.  Sidney,  in  his  "  Book  of  the 
Horse,"  page  189,  says  : 

"  All  things  being  equal,  a  gelding  will  fetch  more  money  as  a  hunter, 
carriage  horse  or  hack  than  a  stallion  or  mare.  Indeed,  a  stallion,  if  aged, 
unless  with  a  character  as  a  hunter,  or  remarkable  action,  and  warranted 
quiet,  is  very  difficult  to  sell  at  all,  unless  thoroughbred  or  of  the  heavy 
draft  breed.  Railroad  companies  charge  double  or  nearly  double  fare  for  a 
single  stallion,  and  often  compel  you  to  take  a  whole  box. 

"The  common  theory  is  that  for  saddle,  a  gelding  is  worth  at  least 
^5  more  than  a  mare  equal  in  every  other  respect.  For  harness  pur- 
poses some  persons  will  not  use  a  mare  at  all.  High-priced  pairs  of  full- 
sized  carriage  horses  are  always  geldings.  Job  masters  have  scarcely  any- 
thing else  in  their  stables ;  but  on  turning  to  the  advertisements  of  sales  by 
auction  at  Albert  Gate,  or  to  the  catalogues  of  horse  shows,  it  will  be  found 
that  a  very  large  number  of  hacks,  not  exceeding  fifteen  hands  two  inches, 
are  described  as  quiet  to  drive  as  well  as  to  ride,  and  that  a  very  large  per- 
centage of  these  are  mares,  which,  when  well  bred,  are  usually  handsomer 
than  geldings,  and  have  more  character. 

"  You  find  a  great  many  mares  worked  in  harness  in  light  carriages, 
both  single  and  double.  In  my  time  I  have  had  more  mares  than  geldings, 
always  drove  them  in  harness,  and  never  met  with  a  serious  accident ;  but 
then  my  horses,  although  full  fed,  were  never  idle,  a  condition  which  in 
horses,  as  well  as  men,  is  the  root  of  all  evil. 

"A  good  mare  must  not  be  rejected,  although  a  gelding  is  decidedly  to 
be  preferred  for  harness  purposes,  for  it  can  be  shown,  on  undeniable  evi- 
dence, that  a  number  of  very  valuable  harness  horses  are  mares,  and  equally 
good  in  harness  and  under  saddle.  Before  the  Franco-German  war,  a  light 
boned  gray  mare  was  the  byword  for  the  most  unprofitable,  unsalable  arti- 
cle in  horse  flesh ;  but  since  that  cavalry-consuming  epoch  there  is  a  pur- 
chaser for  a  good  horse  of  either  sex  or  color." 

MANNERS. 

Until  very  recently  dealers  paid  little  or  no  attention  to 
training  their  horses  in  the  proper  performance  of  the  duties 
they  were  called  upon  to  serve  when  they  became  the  prop- 


120  MANNERS. 

erty  of  a  private  owner.  A  few  men  have  discovered  that 
horses  properly  broken,  bitted  and  accustomed  to  the  city 
sights,  commanded  an  additional  value  and  added  a  new  ele- 
ment to  the  reputation  of  the  dealer.  To  those  who  under- 
stand horses  it  is  not  sufficient  that  an  animal  should  be 
merely  well  formed,  accustomed  to  draft  and  comparatively 
docile,  but  if  they  are  intended  to  be  put  immediately  to  draw- 
ing a  carriage,  it  is  necessary  that  the  horse  should  have 
been  accustomed  to  the  bearing-rein,  the  various  forms  of 
driving  or  riding  bits,  the  flexing  of  the  neck,  so  that  these 
bits  will  act  as  they  are  intended  to  do,  that  the  animal  will 
stand  quietly  and  "  have  passed  satisfactorily  through  the 
other  rudiments  of  schooling."  It  is  evident,  after  a  mo- 
ment's reflection,  how  greatly  the  value  of  a  horse  is  en- 
hanced by  such  training,  and  to  what  extent  it  increases  the 
pleasure  of  the  owner  or  the  rider  and  mitigates  against  the 
chance  of  accident. 


CHAPTER   VII. 


THE  CHOICE    OF   A  HORSE. 

TYPES,    CARRIAGE    HORSES,    SADDLE    HORSES,    SOURCES    OF 
SUPPLY,    VALUES    AND    BUYING. 

BEFORE  participating  in 
the  great  lottery  of  horse 
buying  it  is  advisable  to 
have  a  distinct  predeter- 
mined idea  of  what  order 
of  equipage  best  satisfies 
the  combined  demands  of 
one's  needs  and  desires. 
For  a  small  stable,  the 
author  advises  the  pro- 
spective owner  to  select, 
first  whatever  design  of 

carriage  is  most  suited  to  his  requirements,  and  then  to  buy 
a  serviceable  horse  to  draw  the  chosen  carnage.  In  this 
way,  by  working  from  the  demands  of  the  case  down,  the 
accessories  are  made  subservient  and  a  discordant  effect  is 
less  likely  to  be  produced.  The  following  quotations  will 
serve  to  emphasize  this  advice : 

"  Every  man  knows  the  purpose  or  purposes  for  which  he  wants  a  horse  ; 
but  as  possibly  he  does  not  know  the  sort  fit  for  the  purpose,  let  him  at  least 
show  this  much  judgment  —  let  him  buy  one  that  has  been  satisfactorily 
doing  the  same  sort  of  work  he  wants  him  for,  and  one  that  has  been  sea- 
soned to  it.  Such  a  horse,  from  many  circumstances,  he  may  have  the 


121 


122  THE    CHOICE    OF  A    HORSE. 

opportunity  of  buying  at  a  fair  price ;  in  short,  at  something  like  his  ordi- 
nary value.  I  am  now  only  alluding  to  road  horses,  for  we  will  not  suppose 
any  man  insane  enough  to  contemplate  buying  hunters  unless  he  is  a  good 
judge  of  them ;  and,  indeed,  unless  he  is  this,  and  a  good  horseman  to 
boot,  he  will  have  no  occasion,  or,  I  should  think,  inclination  to  possess 
them.  Mrs.  Glass  says,  '  first  catch  your  hare ' ;  but  she  supposes  you  to 
be  already  a  cook,  otherwise  she  would  probably  have  said,  '  first  make 
yourself  a  cook  ' ;  so  I  should  say,  first  make  yourself  a  horseman,  then 
get  the  hunters. 

"  When  I  recommend  the  tyro  among  horses  only  to  buy  such  as  he 
has  seen  doing  in  a  satisfactory  way  the  description  of  work  for  which  he 
wants  them,  I  must  give  him  another  caution,  and  that  is,  to  consider 
whether  he  is  judge  enough  to  decide  whether  the  horse  has  done  this 
work  in  a  proper  manner;  for  a  satisfactory  way,  as  the  term  is  here 
applicable,  renders  it  by  no  means  a  definite  one;  as  the  question  may 
be  put,  'satisfactory  way,'  to  whom?  For  if  it  is  only  satisfactory  to  a 
person  who  does  not  know  how  work  ought  to  be  done,  the  buyer  may 
get  possession  of  a  brute  that  he  will  not  find  it  very  easy  to  get  rid  of 
under  considerable  loss.  Doing  work  as  it  ought  to  be  done,  and  only  doing 
it  somehow,  just  makes  the  difference,  in  two  horses  of  similar  age,  sound- 
ness, and  appearance,  of  being  worth  a  hundred  and  forty,  or  only  forty  " 
(pounds). —  The  Pocket  and  Stud,  pp.  24,  25. 

"  I  conclude  my  first  chapter  (it  might  well  be  called  the  chapter  of 
accidents)  by  advising  my  reader  before  he  starts  upon  a  similar  expedi- 
tion to  ask  himself  seriously  the  question,  what  sort  of  a  horse  he  wants. 
It  is  a  curious  though  an  undoubted  truth,  that  not  one  man  in  fifty  ever 
thinks  of  taking  this  ordinary  precaution.  Of  course,  I  do  not  include 
professed  sportsmen,  whether  in  the  field  or  on  the  turf ;  they  generally 
'understand  their  business,'  and  set  to  work  accordingly;  but  there  are 
some  hundreds,  perhaps  thousands,  who  at  the  approach  of  summer  must 
needs  buy  a  horse,  and,  like  myself,  consider  it  much  the  same  thing  as  buy- 
ing a  bootjack." —  Sir  George  Stephen,  "  Adventures  of  a  Gentleman  in 
Search  of  a  Horse,"  p.  9. 

A  horse  that  has  had  some  service  and  is  sound  is  better 
than  a  young  untried  animal.  The  chances  for  profitable 


TYPES   OF  HORSES— CARRIAGE  HORSES.  123 

service  are  greater  with  a  good  seven  or  eight  year  old  horse 
than  with  a  healthy  four  or  five  year  old,  whose  bones  and 
muscles  are  soft  and  weak,  making  the  development  of 
temporary  or  permanent  lameness  a  likely  possibility. 

TYPES    OF    HORSES. 

The  division  of  horses  competing  at  horse  shows  into 
different  classes  has  taught  the  onlooker  to  realize  that  the 
various  purposes  for  which  horses  are  employed  demand  ani- 
mals especially  adapted  to  their  respective  labors.  Those 
persons  who  have  made  a  study  of  the  subject  know  that 
heavy  carriages  require  large,  powerful  horses  which  in  a 
smaller  and  lighter  vehicle  would  produce  the  effect  of  "  a 
man  doing  a  boy's  work,"  and  that  a  saddle  horse  should 
be  of  a  size  and  build  proportionate  to  the  weight  he  is  to 
carry.  Hence  it  may  be  said  that  the  division  of  horses 
into  classes  is  the  result  of  an  endeavor  to  establish  a  bal- 
ance of  proportion  between  the  horse  and  his  work.  With 
this  end  in  view  various  types  of  horses  have  been  bred  with 
the  greatest  care  and  attention  to  the  development  of  those 
qualifications  which  render  them  particularly  adaptable,  in 
the  combination  of  strength,  symmetry,  disposition  and  man- 
ners, for  some  specific  work.  The  result  is  that  the  well 
bred  horse  of  the  present  day  represents  one  of  the  several 
distinct  types  having  an  inherent  aptitude  for  performing  a 
limited  range  of  work. 

CARRIAGE    HORSES. 

The  best  carriage  horses  are  of  two  general  types: 
First,  the  small,  compact,  quick  stepping  animals.  They 
range  in  height  between  fourteen  two  and  fifteen  hands  two 
inches.  When  well  bred  and  carefully  selected  they  combine 


124  CARRIAGE  HORSES. 

strength  with  great  activity,  are  strong  and  hardy,  and  are 
consequently  excellent  for  city  work  or  for  all-round  use. 
A  well  matched  pair,  sound  and  young,  are  worth  at  the 
present  time  from  five  hundred  to  fifteen  hundred  dollars 
according  to  the  shape,  action,  color  and  the  degree  to 
which  they  are  mated.  Second,  the  larger  class  of  carriage 
horse,  resembling  the  hunter  in  conformation,  and  many  of 
the  best  of  these  horses  are  in  fact  hunter  bred  and  conse- 
quently have  some  thoroughbred  blood  in  their  veins.  The 
best  of  the  produce  are  retained  for  the  chase,  and  the  others 
are  developed  into  carriage  and  saddle  horses.  In  build 
this  class  of  horse  is  somewhat  like  the  lanky  coach  horse 
of  the  "good  old  days."  They  should  be  flat  limbed,  have 
plenty  of  bone  and  show  breeding.  Their  value  is  about 
the  same  as  that  of  the  preceding  type,  but  instances  are 
not  wanting  of  an  individual  horse  bringing  over  four  thou- 
sand dollars. 

In  reference  to  the  use  of  the  hunter  bred  horse  for  car- 
riage work,  the  Earl  of  Onslow,  in  "  Driving,"  Badminton 
Library,  p.  54,  says  : 

"  Many  of  the  points  and  qualifications  of  a  hunter  are  equally  desir- 
able in  the  carriage  horse ;  but  inasmuch  as  the  latter  is  not  called  upon  to 
take  any  weight  upon  his  back,  it  obviously  is  not  necessary  that  his  bones 
should  be  as  big  and  as  strong  as  an  animal  which  is  expected  to  carry 
fourteen  or  fifteen  stone  across  country.  Many  a  horse  with  straight  shoul- 
ders and  weak  points  which  would  lead  to  its  rejection  as  a  hunter  might  prove 
a  serviceable,  and  even  pass  as  a  good  looking,  harness  horse.  The  value 
of  a  carriage  horse,  therefore,  is  considerably  less  than  that  of  a  hunter." 

By  crossing  the  trotting  bred  horse  with  the  hackney, 
French  coach  or  thoroughbred,  a  variety  of  types  has  been 
produced  that  has  supplied  the  demands  more  successfully 


CARRIAGE   HORSES.  125 

than  any  pure  bred  stamp.  The  representatives  of  these 
types  are  so  uneven  that  it  is  difficult  to  set  any  value  which 
would  be  at  all  comprehensive.  All  that  can  be  said  is  that 
its  inferior  members  can  be  picked  up  very  cheap,  while 
those  that  are  well  formed  and  have  good  manners  command 
a  very  tidy  figure.  The  hackney  was  at  one  time  con- 
sidered the  carriage  horse  par  excellence,  but  he  is  unable 
to  compete  successfully  with  other  types  in  the  show  ring,  and 
the  high  price  these  horses  once  commanded  has  diminished, 
and  now  a  half  bred  hackney  is  fully  as  much  in  demand. 

The  large  family  coach  horse,  with  flowing  mane  and 
tail,  so  popular  fifty  years  ago,  is  again  finding  favor  with 
the  owners  of  large  carriages  of  a  semi-state  character. 
When  driven  as  a  pair  they  produce  a  fine  effect  and  are 
very  useful  for  heavy  work.  When  driven  single  or  to  a 
light  wagon  it  is  at  once  apparent  that  they  are  out  of  their 
element.  They  should  be  strong  but  of  quick,  light  action. 
As  such  horses  are  generally  only  employed  by  persons 
keeping  large  stables,  they  command  the  fancy  price  of  luxu- 
ries, and  their  value  is  based  rather  on  what  a  buyer  is  able 
and  likely  to  pay  than  upon  any  commercial  estimate  of 
their  worth. 

In  the  large  cities  the  inferior  types  of  carriage  horse 
are  represented  by  an  animal  that  is  a  cross-bred  beast, 
heavy  in  head,  neck  and  chest,  the  disproportionate  develop- 
ment of  which  part  has  resulted  in  the  lack  of  a  correspond- 
ing strength  in  the  other  half  of  the  body.  This  coarseness 
truthfully  indicates  the  presence  of  cart  horse  blood.  Such 
an  animal  lacks  natural  speed,  action  or  animation,  for  which 
reasons  he  is  only  fit  for  slow  draft  work.  A  "screw"  of 
this  stamp  is  deficient  in  intelligence  and  stamina,  and  is 


126  THE  SINGLE    CARRIAGE   HORSE. 

usually  either  dull  and  heavy  or  stubborn  and  vicious.  From 
this  nondescript  class  the  inferior  carriage,  hack,  express 
and  other  orders  of  draft  horses  are  drawn.  A  conservative 
or  timid  buyer  is  often  persuaded  to  take  one  of  these  "  nice 
useful  sort,"  as  they  are  termed  by  the  auctioneers,  because 
they  appear  to  be  docile  and  are  "  sold  for  a  mere  song," 
though  they  are  actually  dear  as  a  gift.  The  author's  advice 
is  to  look  for  more  breeding,  it  is  cheaper  and  safer  in  the 
long  run.  The  value  of  a  horse  of  the  stamp  above  de- 
scribed ranged  in  1898  between  forty  and  one  hundred 
dollars. 

THE    SINGLE    CARRIAGE    HORSE. 

In  consequence  of  the  practical  economy  of  establishing 
a  balance  of  forces,  the  design  and  weight  of  the  carriage 
should  in  a  large  measure  determine  the  size  and  build  of 
the  horse  which  is  to  draw  it.  Any  lack  of  harmony,  aris- 
ing from  the  horse  being  too  large  for  the  vehicle  or  vice 
versa,  ought  to  be  guarded  against.  The  incongruous  effect 
made  by  placing  an  ill-shaped,  spiritless  jade  in  the  shafts 
of  a  stylish  carriage  is  another  common  instance  of  bad  judg- 
ment in  the  original  or  subsequent  purchase  of  a  horse. 
Hence  for  an  establishment  where  only  one  horse  is  to  be 
kept,  the  special  or  various  kinds  of  work  which  the  animal 
will  have  to  perform  should  guide  the  purchaser  and  prompt 
him  to  select  a  horse  within  certain  limits. 

The  work  of  one  horse  in  the  city  will,  in  most  cases,  be 
that  of  drawing  a  brougham,  or  its  equivalent  in  the  matter 
of  weight,  twelve  to  fourteen  hundred  pounds,  therefore  a 
horse  measuring  from  15  hands  2  inches  to  16  hands  i  inch 
and  weighing  between  ten  and  twelve  hundred  pounds  will 
be  required,  varying  according  to  the  size  of  the  vehicle. 


THE  SINGLE    CARRIAGE  HORSE.  127 

As  many  owners  wish  to  use  the  same  horse  to  a  light 
wagon  in  summer,  it  is  advisable  when  such  is  the  case  to 
buy  a  horse  somewhat  smaller  and  lighter  than  would  be 
desirable  were  the  work  during  the  summer  as  heavy  as  that 
in  the  city ;  but  it  must  be  borne  in  mind  that  a  large  horse 
is  better  able  to  draw  a  light  wagon  than  a  small  animal  to 
pull  a  heavy  one. 

For  country  or  suburban  work  the  class  of  horse  that 
has  been  found  most  serviceable  is  an  animal  somewhat 
smaller,  lighter  and  faster  than  those  used  in  the  city.  The 
carriages  are  lighter  and  of  greater  variety,  and  the  same 
horse  that  is  used  to  draw  a  station  wagon  may  be  required 
to  appear  later  in  a  two-wheeler  for  an  afternoon  drive.  In 
buying  horses  for  the  country  their  manners  become  a 
more  important  consideration  than  in  those  horses  which  are 
driven  exclusively  by  an  experienced  coachman.  In  order 
that  they  may  be  driven  in  safety  and  with  pleasure  by  any 
members  of  the  family,  such  horses  should  be  free  from 
all  vices,  such  as  rearing,  jibbing,  etc.,  and  should  have  good 
mouths.  When  horses  are  intended  for  out-of-town  work 
exclusively,  the  trotter  or  road  horse  is  a  very  serviceable 
but  not  a  stylish  stamp,  and  is  always  open  to  the  objection 
of  being  unfit  for  heavy  city  work.  At  fashionable  summer 
resorts,  where  the  roads  are  smooth  and  hard,  and  the  car- 
riages used  are  as  heavy  as  those  for  the  town,  an  owner 
will  need  the  large  stamp  of  horse  described  in  the  preced- 
ing paragraph. 

When  a  horse  is  being  bought  for  a  two-wheeled  cart  it 
is  of  much  importance  that  the  animal  should  have  a  smooth, 
even  gait.  A  horse  that  rolls,  pounds  or  stumbles  should  be 
immediately  rejected. 


128  A   PAIR— THE   BROUGHAM  HORSE. 

A   PAIR. 

In  buying  a  pair  of  horses  there  are  several  important 
considerations  to  be  thought  of  after  the  matter  of  sound- 
ness, etc.,  have  been  looked  into.  The  first  requisite  is  that 
they  should  correspond  to  a  nicety  in  size  and  build.  It 
very  often  happens  that  a  horse  measuring  the  same  at  the 
withers  as  his  mate  will  be  several  inches  higher  or  lower 
at  the  quarters;  therefore  see  that  the  general  outline  from 
the  height  of  the  head  to  that  of  the  quarters  of  one  horse 
corresponds  to  a  nicety  with  that  of  the  other.  It  is  one  of 
the  rarest  and  yet  most  desirable  attributes  of  the  pair  that 
they  should  be  of  equal  muscular  and  nervous  development. 
Any  great  dissimilarity  is  likely  to  result  in  one  horse  being 
a  freer  and  faster  traveller,  and  he  will  either  tire  his  slower 
companion  or  will  exhaust  himself  drawing  more  than  his 
share  of  the  weight.  A  pair  working  away  from  the  pole 
or  pressing  in  often  do  so  as  a  result  of  badly  coupled  reins, 
or  the  fault  may  be  rectified  by  changing  their  positions, 
placing  the  off  horse  on  the  nigh  side  and  the  nigh  horse 
on  the  off.  If  the  color  of  the  pair  is  the  same  there  should 
be  no  great  difference  in  its  shade,  z.  e.,  if  one  horse  is  a 
dark  chestnut  the  other  should  not  be  a  light  chestnut. 

Roans  and  bright  chestnuts  are  the  hardest  of  any  to 
match.  The  darker  shades  of  any  color  are  said,  with  much 
truth,  to  indicate  greater  vitality. 

THE    BROUGHAM    HORSE. 

The  qualifications  desirable  in  a  brougham  horse  are 
set  forth  by  S.  Sidney  in  his  work  entitled  "  The  Book  of 
the  Horse,"  p.  526,  as  follows  : 

"  Every  sort  of  a  horse  may  be  seen  in  broughams ;  heavy  brutes  just 


THE  BROUGHAM  HORSE.  129 

fit  for  Pickford's  vans ;  light  weeds,  more  suited  to  a  butcher's  flying  cart ; 
prancing  giraffes,  that,  if  black,  would  be  in  place  in  a  mourning  coach ; 
plodding  cobs,  travelling  with  necks  poked  out  like  a  harnessed  pig.  Fortu- 
nately, many  people  are  content  with  anything  that  will  draw  them,  and  no 
more  think  of  looking  at  the  form  of  a  horse  than  at  that  of  a  locomotive 
steam  engine. 

"  But  the  brougham  horse  proper,  although  he  may  have  many  defects, 
should  have  certain  qualities.  He  may  carry  such  an  exaggerated  forehead 
as  to  make  riding  him  out  of  the  question ;  but  he  should  stand  well,  in  a 
noble  attitude,  and  should  move  with  a  certain  grandeur  of  action,  the  very 
opposite  of  the  quick,  sharp  pace  of  a  mail-phaeton  pair.  He  may  have 
an  ugly  head,  which  can  be  concealed  in  a  very  elaborate  bridle,  and  a 
shabby  tail  which  can  be  supplied  by  a  false  one,  but  he  must  carry  both 
well.  In  a  full-sized  brougham,  weight  is  indispensable ;  in  a  light,  single 
or  miniature  brougham,  a  blood  horse  is  more  appropriate.  In  either  case 
the  size  of  the  horse  should  be  in  harmony  with  the  size  of  the  carriage. 
It  is  as  great  an  error  in  taste  to  use  a  large  beast  like  a  camel,  almost  lift- 
ing the  fore  wheels  off  the  ground  if  he  make  an  extra  stride,  as  to  have  a 
horse  so  small,  and  working  with  his  neck  so  low,  that  he  is  lost  in  the  shafts. 
If  full  of  courage  he  will  very  soon  be  worn  out  by  overweight. 

"A  first-class  brougham  horse  (according  to  a  great  authority  at 
Knightsbridge,  who  long  had  the  exclusive  selection  of  the  late  Emperor 
Napoleon's  harness-stud)  should  be  long  and  low,  full-barrelled,  and  from 
15  hands  to  15  hands  3  inches  high,  according  to  the  size  and  weight  of 
the  carnage.  Nothing  looks  worse  than  a  horse  too  small  or  too  tall.  In 
the  one  case  he  seems  buried  in  the  shafts  and  harness  ;  in  the  other  he  is 
constantly  pulling  up  the  wheels,  and  by  his  size  dwarfs  the  brougham.  He 
should  have  a  broad  chest,  a  lofty  crest,  a  broad  back  (if  rather  hollow  it 
is  no  objection),  a  flowing  mane,  a  full  tail  well  carried,  presenting  a  com- 
bination of  breeding  and  power.  His  action  should  be  grand,  stately,  ma- 
chine-like, forward  action  all  round,  each  foot  keeping  time  as  truly  as 
Sir  Michael  Costa's  baton.  Champing  his  bit,  arching  his  neck,  and  bend- 
ing his  knees,  he  should  trot  eight  miles  an  hour,  and  be  able  to  do  twelve ; 
for  although  the  brougham  is  not  intended,  when  drawn  by  one  horse,  to 
be  rattled  along  like  a  hansom  cab,  there  are  times  when  you  are  really 
hurried,  late  for  an  appointment  with  a  lady,  or  a  secretary  of  the  state  — 


130       THE   VICTORIA,  STANHOPE  OR  T-CART  HORSE. 

then  it  is  very  provoking  to  have  your  coachman  whipping,  and  your  two- 
hundred  guinea  purchase  seesawing  like  a  rocking  horse,  *  all  action  and  no 

go-' 

"  There  is  no  mistake  greater  than  selecting  horses  too  large  for  single 
harness  —  15  hands  3  inches  is  high  enough  for  any  brougham ;  above  that 
height  they  may  do  for  parade  purposes,  but  they  wear  themselves  out  with 
their  own  weight  on  anything  like  a  journey,  say  from  Kensington  to  High- 
gate."  — /.  210. 

"  Formerly  all  the  (royal)  work  was  done  by  coaches  and  chariots,  now 
there  are  broughams  and  clarences ;  for  these  we  buy  smaller  horses.  We 
have  nothing  under  sixteen  hands  in  the  town  carriages.  The  smaller  horses 
are  much  more  durable ;  in  fact,  if  it  were  not  for  the  look  of  the  thing 
they  would  draw  the  big  coaches  much  better  than  the  bigger  Clevelands. 
The  smaller  horses  are  more  fashionable,  more  are  bred,  and  therefore 
they  are  more  easily  obtained ;  they  are  much  less  likely  to  become  roarers 
than  larger  horses.  We  hardly  ever  had  an  instance  of  a  harness  horse 
not  over  15  hands  3  inches  becoming  a  roarer,  whereas  almost  all  our  big 
bay  horses  end  by  being  so." —  Colonel  G.  A.  Maude,  C.  B,,  Crown 
Equerry,  Ibid.,  p.  249. 

"  Horses  not  under  fifteen  hands  two  inches.  To  be  shown  before  a 
brougham ;  the  horse  to  count  50  per  cent ;  the  brougham,  25  ;  harness,  15  ; 
liveries,  10.  The  horses  should  have  good  manners,  stand  quietly  and  back 
well."  — From  the  Catalogue  of  the  National  Horse  Show  Association,  1898. 

THE    VICTORIA,    STANHOPE    OR   T-CART    HORSE. 

Horses  for  such  carriages  should  be  similar  to  those 
described  for  a  brougham,  but  as  these  vehicles  are  not  so 
heavy  the  horses  may  be  correspondingly  lighter,  quicker 
stepping,  and  of  a  more  breedy  type.  As  the  horses  carry 
a  minimum  amount  of  harness  there  is  every  chance  for  the 
display  of  fine  proportion  and  beauty  of  outline.  The  size 
desirable  is  given  in  a  quotation  from  the  National  Horse 
Show  Catalogue  of  1898: 

"Pair  of  Horses,  not  under  15  hands  3  inches,  suitable  for  a  Stanhope, 
Victoria  or  similar  vehicle.  Should  have  conformation,  quality,  style,  and 


BAROUCHE,  MAIL  PHAETON,  HANSOM  HORSES.      131 

all-around  action ;  excessive  pace  will  not  be  required.     (To  be  shown  to 
an  appropriate  four-wheeled  vehicle.)" 

THE    BAROUCHE    HORSE. 

The  type  of  horse  for  a  barouche  is  described  by  S. 
Sidney,  p.  247  as  follows : 

"  Barouche  horses  are  expected  to  show  more  blood  and  quality,  to  be 
better  travellers  than  would  be  selected  for  a  suburban  visit  rather  than  grand 
elephantine  stepping  coach  horses;  indeed,  the  best  barouche  horses  are 
very  like  the  best  hunters." 

THE    MAIL    PHAETON    HORSE. 

The  same  writer,  referring  to  horses  for  mail  phaetons, 
says : 

"  The  very  finest  horses  of  the  most  brilliant  action,  '  stepping  and 
going,'  look  their  best  in  a  mail  phaeton ;  but  if  your  taste  and  means  in- 
cline you  rather  for  utility  than  for  ornament,  for  long  distances  rather  than 
the  solemn  yet  sociable  parades  of  the  Park  or  the  Champs  Elysees,  a  pair 
of  low-priced  screws,  as  your  richer  friends  will  term  them,  if  with  '  charac- 
ter '  and  breeding,  in  first-class  condition  and  workmanlike  harness,  will  do 
very  well."  —  /.  534,  535. 

"The  mail  phaeton  of  the  pre-railway  generation  required  a  pair  of 
powerful  horses,  nearly  if  not  quite  16  hands  high.  The  modern  phaetons, 
that  have  taken  the  place  of  that  ponderous  carriage  so  useful  and  pleas- 
ant in  its  way,  intended  either  for  country  use  or  park  parades,  are  so 
much  lighter  that  full-sized  horses  are  quite  out  of  place  in  them.  A  phae- 
ton of  suitable  size  may  be  perfectly  well  horsed  in  every  respect  by  horses 
of  from  14  hands  3  inches  to  15  hands  i  inch.  When  a  pair  of  horses  are 
used  for  several  purposes,  to  draw  a  full-sized  brougham  or  landau,  as  well 
as  a  mail  phaeton,  15  hands  2  inches  may  be  found  a  more  useful  size.  Be- 
yond that  height,  unless  exceedingly  well  bred,  it  is  difficult  to  find  horses 
which  are  pleasant  for  a  gentleman  to  drive."  — p.  24.1. 

THE    HANSOM    HORSE. 

Again  quoting  from  S.  Sidney,  he  says  regarding  the  de- 
sirable qualifications  for  a  hansom  horse : 


132  RUN-ABOUT,   CABRIOLET,   COACH  HORSES. 

"To  ride  safely  in  a  high  two-wheeled  carriage  you  require  a  horse 
with  good  trotting  action  and  sound  feet.  A  game  but  groggy  horse  can 
safely  pull  a  four-wheeler. 

"A  private  hansom  requires  a  better  horse  than  a  brougham,  if  not  so 
fashionable,  because,  in  spite  of  the  very  best  balancing,  there  must  be  some 
weight  in  going  down  hills ;  and  he  should  also  be  fast,  equal  to  at  least 
twelve  miles  an  hour  when  required,  fourteen  are  better.  Pace  and  ease  of 
motion  are  the  features  of  this  vehicle,  which  is  a  very  useful  addition  to  a 
well  furnished  coach  house  at  a  mansion  where  no  severe  rise  intervenes  on 
the  road  to  a  railway  station  to  and  from  which  the  head  of  the  establish- 
ment has  frequent  occasion  to  travel." — /.  543. 

THE    RUN-ABOUT. 

The  horse  for  this  type  of  vehicle  should  be  between  15 
and  15  hands  2^  inches.  The  plate  of  "  The  Whirl  of  the 
Town  "  indicates  the  conformation  to  be  desired.  Neither 
speed  nor  action  should  be  very  pronounced,  but  they  should 
be  combined  to  a  degree  that  renders  the  horse  a  handy  one 
for  the  purposes  for  which  a  carriage  of  this  type  is  intended. 

THE    CABRIOLET    HORSE. 

Although  the  cabriolet  is  seldom  used  at  the  present 
time,  it  may  be  of  interest  to  give  what  was  considered  a 
proper  type  of  horse  for  this  vehicle : 

"Very  few  gentlemen  now  drive  a  cabriolet,  and  of  those  who  do  fewer 
still  have  a  really  perfect  '  cab '  horse,  an  animal  which  was  once  eagerly 
sought  for.  In  shape  he  was  supposed  to  be  nearly  faultless,  to  stand  not 
less  than  16  hands  high,  and  to  have  action  which  could  hardly  be  too 
extravagant.  It  was  a  purely  ornamental  possession,  usefulness  being  left 
out  of  the  question.  A  man  who  desired  such  a  luxury  did  not  care  much 
what  price  he  paid.  It  is  the  most  expensive  of  single-harness  horses."  — 
Earl  of  Onslow,  "Driving"  Badminton  Library,  p.  55. 

THE    COACH    HORSE. 
"So  much  difference   of  opinion  is  there  as  to  what  is  the  best  and 


THE    COACH  HORSE.  133 

pleasantest  style  of  coach  horse  to  drive,  that  we  are  not  likely  to  find  ourselves 
in  agreement  with  all  our  readers  upon  this  subject.  The  old  stagecoach- 
men  used  to  say  that  they  liked  the  big,  heavy  horse  for  a  hilly  team,  and 
the  small,  compact,  quick-stepping,  fast-galloping  little  horse  for  a  flat  stage. 
We  must  remember  that  in  those  days,  when  the  coach  was  the  only  con- 
veyance of  the  country,  the  loads  were  very  heavy,  and  no  doubt  the  big, 
heavy-plodding  horse  put  his  shoulder  well  to  it,  and  got  the  coach  up  the 
hill  with  less  trouble  to  himself  and  his  coachman,  than  the  smaller  and 
lighter  team  of  horses  would  have  done.  In  these  days,  when  the  road 
coaches  only  carry  passengers  and  no  luggage  to  speak  of,  even  if  there  is 
any  at  all,  we  should  prefer  for  all  sorts  of  roads  short-stepping  and  small 
though  thick  horses.  They  are  infinitely  pleasanter  to  drive.  Anybody  who 
has  had  the  experience  of  taking  off  a  big,  lolloping  team  of  rather  under- 
bred horses  who  are  very  tired,  and  have  been  hanging  on  the  coachman's 
hands  for  the  last  two  or  three  miles  of  the  stage,  will  understand  what  a 
pleasure  and  a  relief  it  is  to  feel  the  quick,  sharp  trot  of  a  little  team  of 
fresh  horses. 

"  Difference  of  opinion  exists  as  to  the  respective  heights  of  wheelers 
and  leading  horses.  Some  like  them  exactly  the  same  size,  others  prefer 
a  big  wheel  horse  and  a  little  leader ;  others  again  like  a  thick,  low  wheel 
horse  and  rather  a  taller  and  slighter  leader.  In  our  opinion,  this  latter  is 
the  perfection  of  a  team.  It  looks  better  when  they  are  coming  to  you,  as 
well  as  when  you  are  sitting  on  the  coach.  We  do  not  think,  however,  it 
really  signifies  either  one  way  or  the  other.  We  have  driven  teams  of  horses 
of  all  sorts  and  shapes  and  sizes,  and  we  have  found  them  to  go  equally  well, 
whether  the  leaders  were  the  same  size,  or  larger,  or  smaller  than  the  other 
horses.  It  is  a  matter  of  '  taking  the  eye,'  and  for  appearance  we  prefer  the 
small,  thick  wheeler  and  the  tall,  light  leader. 

"  But  there  are  gentlemen  who,  having  had  too  much  to  occupy  them  in 
their  youth,  and  having  more  leisure  as  they  get  further  on  in  life,  might 
wish  to  start  a  team,  and  might  refer  to  these  volumes  for  advice  how  to  do 
so.  To  them  we  would  say,  get  your  wheel  horses  as  strong  as  is  consistent 
with  activity.  If  you  have  the  choice  between  the  good-actioned  horse  that 
is  not  quite  so  strong  and  a  stronger  horse  that  is  not  quite  of  such  good 
action,  the  judicious  course  will  be  to  buy  the  good-actioned  horse. 

"  As  regards  the  stamp  of  horses  for  a  long  and  hard  day's  work,  there  is 


134  THE  ROADSTER. 

nothing  can  beat  a  thoroughbred  one.  The  more  blood  you  have  in  horses 
you  drive,  the  better  you  will  be  able  to  do  long  and  trying  journeys.  Still 
such  animals  are  scarcely  what  we  should  designate  by  the  word  coach  horses. 
If  you  have  not  very  long  stages  to  go,  you  can  indulge  your  fancy  by  study- 
ing from  the  old  pictures  the  stamp  of  horse  that  was  used  formerly,  before 
the  railways  ran  the  coaches  clean  off  the  roads.  It  is  not  at  all  disagreeable 
amusement  going  about  and  trying  to  find  horses  of  the  same  stamp  that 
were  used  in  those  days.  Of  course,  the  very  short  tails  which  the  coach 
horses  and  posters  had  in  those  days  very  much  alter  the  appearance  of  the 
stamp  of  horse,  and  render  it  more  difficult  to  procure  the  exact  variety  that 
was  formerly  used,  because  if  they  exist  they  are  so  changed.  An  inexperi- 
enced man  cannot  realize  the  extent  to  which  a  horse's  appearance  can  be 
altered  by  putting  him  on  a  long  or  a  short  tail.  It  is  only  to  the  well  prac- 
tised eye  of  a  man  very  conversant  with  horses  that  the  exact  shape  and 
make  can  be  detected  under  the  altered  circumstances  of  a  long  or  a  short 
tail."  —  Duke  of  Beaufort,  "  Driving"  p.  77  et  seq. 

THE    ROADSTER. 

The  roadster,  although  the  offspring  of  selected  English 
racing  stock,  is  an  individual  and  national  type,  whose  pop- 
ularity is  no  longer  confined  entirely  to  this  country.  For 
fast  driving  this  horse  is  preeminent  and  those  of  the  better 
class  are  virtually  thoroughbred  animals  of  some  known 
prowess  in  the  matter  of  speed.  They  are  good  and  inter- 
esting light  wagon  horses  as  they  are  capable  of  affording 
amusement  to  the  owner  in  the  way  of  a  "  brush  "  or  a  "  spin  " 
with  some  rival  during  the  course  of  an  afternoon's  drive. 
Owing  to  their  "  sporting  associations"  they  are  not  appro- 
priate for  a  woman  to  drive.  These  horses  should  be  driven 
in  simple,  plain,  light  harness  to  a  correspondingly  simple 
and  light  vehicle;  the  buggy  is  the  carriage  most  commonly 
used.  Owing  to  the  entire  dissimilarity  existing  between 
the  roadster  and  the  other  types  of  carriage  horses  it  is  im- 


STANDARD,   CHILDREN'S  PONY,  SADDLE  HORSE.     135 

possible  to  use  them  in  making  up  a  pair  with  heavier  and 
higher  actioned  animals  ;  for  this  reason  they  are  not  as  ser- 
viceable in  a  small  stable  as  horses  of  the  heavier  class.  The 
value  of  the  road  horse  is  based  almost  entirely  upon  con- 
formation and  manners,  in  distinction  to  the  consideration  of 
the  excessive  speed  that  determines  the  value  of  a  trotter  for 
racing  purposes. 

STANDARD    OR    NON-STANDARD. 

"  A  roadster  when  mature  for  driving  should  not  be  under  fifteen  hands 
high.  Conformation,  style  of  going,  manners,  hock  and  knee  action,  whether 
driven  with  ordinary  or  heavy  shoes  to  force  action  ;  also  whether  strained 
with  checking  or  severe  bits,  and  as  they  are  and  appear  at  the  time  of  show- 
ing in  the  ring,  will  be  considered  in  judging."  —  From  the  Catalogue  of  the 
National  Horse  Show  Association,  1898. 

THE  CHILDREN'S  PONY. 

The  three  most  important  qualifications  of  a  children's 
pony  are:  First,  that  he  should  be  well  mannered,  i.  e., 
free  from  all  vices,  such  as  kicking,  shying,  bolting,  etc. ; 
second,  that  the  animal  should  be  well  bitted,  i.  e.,  amenable 
to  all  forms  of  control  by  the  reins  ;  third,  that  he  should 
possess  considerable  strength  and  be  of  proper  size  for  the 
pony  cart  or  chaise,  i.  e.,  powerful  enough  to  draw,  if  it  is 
desired,  a  grown  person  as. well  as  the  children. 

THE    SADDLE    HORSE. 

A  horse  intended  for  drawing  a  heavy  carriage  will  not 
be  good  under  saddle  as  his  gait  is  restricted  first  by  his  size, 
and  secondly  by  the  constant  exertions  of  the  draft  muscles 
instead  of  those  required  for  a  free  even  stride.  Regarding 
the  impracticability  of  trying  to  combine  the  qualities  of  the 


136  THE  SADDLE  HORSE. 

carriage  and  saddle  horse  in  one  animal,  Sir  George  Stephen 
says  : 

"  There  is  not  one  horse  in  fifty  that  is  adapted  both  for  the  saddle  and 
for  harness ;  I  once  had  a  galloway  that  rarely  stumbled  in  harness,  though 
he  would  not  have  carried  the  best  rider,  of  feather  weight,  half  a  dozen 
miles  without  as  many  falls.  Yet  he  was  perfectly  sound,  and  continued  sound 
for  five  years  that  he  remained  in  my  possession." — The  Adventures  of  a 
Gentleman  in  Search  of  a  Horse,  p.  12. 

In  his  book  entitled  Horses  and  Stables,  p.  466,  Sir  F. 
Fitzwygram  gives  the  following  advice  to  the  purchaser  of  a 
saddle  horse : 

"  In  measuring  a  horse  or  judging  of  his  height  and  size  by  sight,  take 
care  that  he  stands  on  a  level  with  yourself.  Dealers  generally  stand  a 
horse,  if  under-sized,  on  higher  ground,  or  if  over-sized,  on  lower  ground 
than  the  intending  purchaser. 

Want  of  a  fair  amount  of  breeding  should  be  an  absolute  bar. 

Reject  a  horse  with  a  big  coarse  head. 

With  a  small  sunken  eye.     They  are  generally  obstinate  and  sulky. 

Of  a  color  light  of  the  sort. 

With  a  long  slack  back.     It  will  not  carry  weight. 

With  a  hollow  back.     The  formation  is  weak. 

With  flat  sides.    They  will  not  do  work  nor  look  well. 

With  a  slack  loin,  /.  <?.,  undue  length  between  the  last  ribs  and  hind 
quarters  (sacrum).  They  are  often  bad  feeders  and  will  run  up 
light  with  work. 

With  a  light  loin,  /.  t.,  want  of  breadth  over  the  loins.  They  run  up 
light  with  work. 

With  scraggy  hips.  They  never  do  credit  to  feeding,  particularly  if  also 
slack  in  the  loins. 

With  a  bad  girth,  *".  e.,  *  light  through  the  heart.'  This  formation  will 
always  cause  trouble  in  saddling. 

With  a  thick  or  short  neck. 

Unless  it  has  a  good  rein.  With  a  clumsy  neck  the  head  is  in  conse- 
quence badly  set  on.  Without  a  good  rein  a  horse  will  never 
break  well,  or  be  pleasant  to  ride. 

With  very  low  withers.     The  saddle  will  be  apt  to  work  forwards,  and 


THE   SADDLE  HORSE.  137 

the  '  rein  '  will  probably  be  deficient,  and  the  leverage  for  the 
muscles  of  the  forehand  is  defective. 

To  see  the  above  points  stand  on  the  side  and  form  your  opinion  before 
the  horse  moves  off. 

Reject  a  horse  with  a  narrow  or  shallow  chest.  There  is  not  sufficient 
capacity  for  the  lungs. 

With  fore  legs  very  close  together.  This  and  the  former  defect  gener- 
ally go  together.  To  see  these  points  stand  in  front. 

Whose  fore  legs  are  not  straight.  They  will  not  stand  wear.  Stand 
behind  the  horse  as  he  walks  away  from  you,  and  you  will  be 
able  to  notice  these  defects,  if  they  exist. 

Which  is  light  below  the  knee,  especially  if  light  immediately  below 
the  knee.  The  conformation  is  essentially  weak. 

With  long,  or  with  short  or  with  upright  pasterns.  Long  pasterns  are 
subject  to  sprains.  Short  or  upright  pasterns  make  a  horse  un- 
pleasant to  ride,  and  on  account  of  extra  concussion  are  apt 
to  cause  ossific  deposits. 

With  toes  turned  in  or  out.  The  twist  generally  occurs  at  the  fet- 
lock. Toes  turned  out  are  more  objectionable  than  toes 
turned  in.  When  toes  are  turned  out,  the  fetlocks  are  gener- 
ally turned  in,  and  animals  so  formed  are  very  apt  to  cut  or 
brush.  Both,  however,  are  weak  formations. 

Whose  hind  legs  are  too  far  behind.  Good  propelling  power  will  be 
wanting,  and  disease  as  a  result  may  be  expected  in  the  hocks. 

Which  goes  either  very  wide  or  very  close  behind. 

With  very  straight  or  very  bent  hocks.  The  former  cause  undue  con- 
cussion, the  latter  are  apt  to  give  way. 

Which  is  '  split  up,'  i.  <?.,  shows  much  daylight  between  his  thighs. 
Propelling  power  comes  from  behind,  and  must  be  deficient  in 
horses  without  due  muscular  development  between  the  thighs. 

With  flat  feet  or  over-large  feet,  also  with  very  small  feet.  Medium 
size  are  the  best. 

With  one  foot  smaller  than  another." 

The  recognition  of  the  importance  of  having  the  size  of 


138  THE   SADDLE   HORSE. 

the  horse  correspond  with  the  weight  he  is  to  carry  is  shown 
by  the  following  quotation  : 

"  To  be  judged  by  their  quality,  manners  and  ability  to  carry  the  weight 
specified  in  their  respective  classes.  Manners  to  count  50  per  cent;  con- 
formation, 25  ;  quality,  25.  The  paces  required  to  be  shown,  except  in  Class 
82,  will  be  a  free  open  walk,  square  trot  and  easy  canter.  The  judge  or 
judges  will  be  requested  to  ride  such  of  the  horses  as  they  may  deem  worthy 
to  receive  ribbons  in  the  final  awards. 

"Horses  over  14  hands  i  inch  and  under  15  hands,  up  to  carrying 
160  Ibs. 

"  Horses,  15  hands  and  under  15  hands  2  inches,  three  years  old  or  over, 
up  to  carrying  160  Ibs. 

"Horses,  15  hands  2  inches  or  over,  three  years  old  or  over,  up  to 
carrying  160  Ibs. 

"Horses,  15  hands  2  inches  or  over,  three  years  old  or  over,  up  to 
carrying  200  Ibs. 

"  Ladies'  saddle  horse,  not  under  14  hands  3  inches,  three  years  old  or 
over." —  From  the  Catalogue  of  the  National  Horse  Show  Association,  1898. 

Regarding  the  qualifications  of  a  woman's  saddle  horse, 
Mrs.  Hays,  in  her  book  entitled  "  The  Horsewoman,"  p.  2 
et  seq.,  says  : 

"  However  well  a  woman  may  ride,  she  should  not  have  a  horse  that '  plays 
up '  when  he  is  being  mounted,  or  sprawls  all  over  the  place,  and  requires 
constant  pulling  together  when  the  rider  is  in  the  saddle. 

"Besides  the  requisites  already  mentioned,  the  ordinary  lady  rider 
should  have  a  horse  that  goes  in  a  naturally  collected  style,  has  a  good 
mouth,  is  easy  in  his  paces,  so  that  he  may  not  fatigue  her  unnecessarily,  is 
sure-footed,  and  is  thoroughly  '  confidential '  in  his  manners.  Almost  all 
women  like  the  light-hearted,  showy  horses ;  although  they  generally  desire 
the  fire  and  gayety  to  be  well  under  control.  Some  of  the  plucky,  hard- 
riding  sort  love  to  steer  horses  which  other  ladies  would  be  '  afraid  of  their 
lives '  to  mount.  Those  who  are  timid,  or  who  are  just  beginning  to  learn, 
should  be  put  on  perfectly  steady  '  machines  '  that  are  easy  in  their  paces, 
and  will  allow  their  mouths  to  be  pulled  about,  without  resenting  the  inter- 


PRIZE-WINNING   LADIES  SADDLE-HORSE,   "LADY   BONNIE." 


THE   SADDLE  HORSE.  139 

ference.  If  such  an  animal  be  rather  '  woodeny  '  in  his  paces,  no  fault 
should  be  found  with  him  on  that  account. 

"The  style  of  horse  should,  if  possible,  be  in  thorough  keeping  with 
that  of  the  rider.  A  young  lady  with  a  slight,  pretty  figure  will  look  best  on 
a  horse  which  is  all  blood  and  quality ;  though  a  portly  and  dignified  matron 
will  be  best  suited  with  one  of  the  weight-carrying  hunter  stamp,  or  with  a 
clever  cob.  Fifteen  hands  is  a  nice  height  for  a  horse  to  carry  a  lady  five 
feet  high.  We  might  add  an  inch  in  height  for  the  horse  for  every  two 
inches  by  which  the  rider  exceeds  five  feet.  I  hardly  think  that  a  woman 
will  be  comfortable  and  look  well  on  a  pony  that  is  less  than  1 3  hands  3 
inches  high. 

"  The  horse  or  pony  should  be  quite  twenty-one  pounds,  taken  from  a 
man's  point  of  view,  above  the  weight  he  has  to  carry ;  as  extra  fatigue  is 
entailed  on  him  by  the  side  position  of  the  rider.  Besides  this,  a  woman 
cannot  ease  her  mount  by  altering  her  seat,  or  getting  off  for  a  short  time, 
as  a  man  may  do  during  a  long  ride.  Taking  for  granted  that  every  saddle 
horse  should  be  practically  sound,  we  should  especially  look  in  the  lady's 
horse  for  good  shoulders  (long,  flat  and  oblique)  and  a  well  put-on  head 
and  neck.  If  his  shoulders  are  faultless,  his  action,  as  a  rule,  will  be  safe  and 
pleasant.  If  his  head  and  neck  are  right,  he  will  readily  bend  to  the  rein, 
to  do  which,  owing  to  the  high  position  of  the  hands,  might  be  a  difficulty 
to  animals  whose  heads  and  necks  are  not  well  placed.  I  have  seen  so 
many  cases  of  sore  back  arise  from  the  fact  of  the  horse  having  thin  withers, 
that  I  would  warn  ladies  against  riding  animals  which  have  this  kind  of  con- 
formation. 

"  Horses  that  are  lower  in  front  than  over  the  croup  are  seldom  com- 
fortable to  ride.  Besides,  a  horse  with  this  shape  will  have  a  difficulty  in 
retaining  the  sidesaddle  in  its  place.  We  must  remember  that  a  man's 
saddle  has  not  nearly  as  great  a  tendency  to  shift  its  position  as  a  side- 
saddle. First,  because  the  tree  is  made  to  lie  closer  to  the  back ;  secondly, 
there  is  not  the  disturbing  side  play;  and  thirdly,  the  grip  of  the  knees 
(which  is  absent  with  the  sidesaddle)  helps  to  keep  it  in  its  place.  For 
these  reasons,  a  comparatively  high  forehand  is  a  more  desirable  point  in  a 
lady's  horse  than  in  one  intended  for  a  man.  It  is  also  well  for  a  lady's  nag 
to  be  fairly  broad  in  the  back ;  for  the  saddle  will  then  have  less  tendency 
to  shift  than  if  he  were  narrow.  As  a  sidesaddle  goes  farther  back  than  a 


140  THE  HACK. 

man's  saddle,  a  long-backed  horse  will  look  better  in  the  former  than  in  the 
latter.  This  fact,  however,  is  no  argument  in  favor  of  length  of  back  in  a 
lady's  horse.  I  may  mention  that  undue  length  of  back  is  a  grave  defect  in 
any  kind  of  a  horse,  no  matter  what  may  be  the  work  for  which  he  is  in- 
tended. For  riding,  an  animal  cannot  have  too  short  a  back. 

"A  lady's  horse  should  carry  his  head  at  an  angle  of  45°  to  the  ground. 
He  should  neither  bore  his  head  down  nor  have  the  habit  of  chucking  it  up. 
Unless  the  rider  is  a  fine  horsewoman,  her  mount  should  not  have  a  very 
light  mouth ;  for  if  he  has,  he  will  be  apt  to  resent  any  undue  interference, 
and  may  get  out  of  control  on  slight  provocation.  Besides,  very  delicate- 
mouthed  horses  which  have  (as  would  be  necessary  for  a  lady)  a  lofty  car- 
riage of  the  head,  are  apt  to  rear,  if  their  mouths  are  pulled  about.  To 
avoid  any  such  objectionable  tendency,  a  woman  cannot  drop  her  hands  in 
the  same  way  as  a  man.  The  action  of  her  hands  being  thus  hampered  by 
the  way  she  is  perched  up  on  her  saddle,  her  horse's  mouth  should  not  be  so 
sensitive  that  he  would  not  allow  some  liberties  to  be  taken  with  it.  I  may 
mention  that  rearing  is  one  of  the  most  dangerous  vices  a  lady's  horse  can 
possess ;  because,  when  he  is  in  the  act  of  '  coming  over,'  it  is  almost  im- 
possible for  her  to  jump  off  and  get  clear  of  danger ;  nor  can  she  lower  her 
hands  and  throw  her  weight  forward  (like  a  man  can  do)  so  as  to  prevent 
the  animal  from  getting  up  to  the  critical  point. 

"  For  ladies,  geldings  are  preferable  to  either  horses  or  mares.  The 
former  are  especially  objectionable  in  England;  the  latter,  in  tropical 
climates. 

THE    HACK. 

"  The  perfect  hack  must  have  a  variety  of  excellences  such  as,  indeed, 
are  very  rarely  found  in  one  horse,  but  the  real  requisites  may  perhaps  be 
reduced  to  four.  In  the  first  place,  it  goes  without  saying  that  he  must  be 
free  from  any  such  obvious  disqualifications  as  rank  unsoundness  or  pro- 
nounced vice.  A  little  blood  is,  however,  a  great  desideratum  in  a  saddle 
horse,  and  in  general  there  are  no  better  animals  for  the  purpose  than  half- 
breds,  who  unite  the  grace  and  fashion  of  their  blue  blood  with  the  sedater 
demeanor  of  a  humbler  parentage.  In  the  second  place,  good  legs  and 
feet  are  an  essential.  A  young  horse  may  be  actually  sound  and  may  yet 
have  what  seem  all  the  elements  of  unsoundness — dubious  hocks,  joints 


THE  HUNTER.  141 

with  a  tendency  to  roundness,  feet  contracted  or  otherwise  likely  to  go 
-wrong.  Thirdly,  for  the  saddle  horse  good  shoulders  are  indispensable. 
Without  them  the  chances  are  that  the  horse  will  not  step  well  and  safely, 
and  few  things  are  more  distressing  to  a  rider  than  the  sensation  his  mount 
gives  him  of  an  ability  to  stumble.  In  the  fourth  place  come  manners,  and 
this  consideration  is  influenced  by  the  circumstance  that  what  seem  to 
be  bad  manners  on  the  part  of  the  horse  may  in  reality  be  bad  hands  on  the 
part  of  the  rider.  Nothing  is  more  common  than  to  see  a  horse  that  is  rest- 
ive and  troublesome,  even  dangerous,  with  one  man,  behaving  in  a  most 
exemplary  way  when  another  rider  gets  into  the  saddle ;  the  hack  that  is 
placid  and  a  model  of  obedience  in  the  hands  of  No.  i  will  decline  to  go 
quietly  a  dozen  yards  straight  ahead  in  the  hands  of  No.  2.  Before  any 
sort  of  opinion  could  be  given  as  to  the  horse's  manners  in  either  case,  it  is 
obviously  only  just  that  No.  3  should  be  called  into  consultation."  —  A.  E. 
T.  Watson,  "  Riding"  Badminton  Library, pp.  j?  and 58. 

THE    HUNTER. 

If  hunting  is  to  be  a  pleasant  diversion  it  is  necessary 
that  the  rider  should  be  "  well  mounted."  Especially  impor- 
tant is  this  point  to  the  novice.  A  horse  that  is  capable  of 
"pounding"  (leading)  the  field  under  the  guidance  of  a 
clever  rider  may  "  come  a  cropper  "  (a  fall)  at  the  first  fence 
if  ridden  by  a  tyro.  Again  a  person  may  buy  an  animal 
that  has  "  gone  well  "  in  a  country  where  the  jumping  was 
of  timber,  but  when  used  in  a  district  in  which  stone  walls 
abound,  the  horse  may  be  almost  worthless.  A  horse  must 
have,  besides  the  proper  conformation  for  jumping,  a  knowl- 
edge of  the  character  of  the  country,  and  the  experience 
of  schooling.  A  horse  "takes  off"  for  a  stone  wall,  on 
either  side  of  which  there  may  be  loose  stones,  differently 
than  he  would  for  a  fence  where  the  ground  was  clear  on 
both  sides ;  the  same  difference  exists  in  the  method  of 
"  landing." 


142  THE  HUNTER. 

In  buying  a  hunter  the  novice  should  endeavor  to  obtain 
a  horse  that  possesses  the  following  desirable  qualifications  : 

1.  A  horse  that  has  "gone  well  "  over  the  country  it  is 

intended  to  hunt  him  in. 

2.  A  horse  that  jumps  in  "  cold  blood,"  i.  e.,  does  not 

require  a  lead  or  the  presence  of  other  horses. 

3.  A  horse  that  has  pluck  enough  to  keep  the  pace,  but 

that  is  always  sufficiently  under  the  control  of  the 
rider  for  the  latter  to  determine  the  direction  or 
set  the  pace. 

4.  A  horse  that  is  equal  to  carrying,  without   undue 

fatigue,  the  rider's  weight,  under  the  most  try- 
ing conditions  presented  by  the  character  of  the 
country. 

5.  A  horse  that  "  pops  over  "  his  jumps  instead  of  "  fly- 

ing "  them  ;  the  latter  form  is  more  enjoyable  but 
is  decidedly  more  dangerous. 

6.  A  horse  that  is  old  enough  to  withstand  the  severe 

nature  of  the  work  without  injury  to  the  ten- 
dons and  bones,  but  not  so  old  as  to  be  in 
any  way  handicapped  by  the  failings  of  old  age. 
Between  seven  and  nine  years  may  be  considered 
the  hunter's  prime. 

7.  A  horse  that  has  considerable  thoroughbred  blood  in 

his  veins.     A  horse  three-quarters  bred  has  been 

found  to  make  the  best  hunter. 

The  tyro  must  bear  in  mind  that  in  every  hunting  coun- 
try there  are  always  "screws  "  for  sale  and  that  the  members 
of  the  hunting  fraternity  are  not  so  much  more  altruistic 
than  other  human  beings  that  they  will  sell  their  best  hunt- 
ers unless  for  some  particular  reason,  such  as  a  man  giving 


HUNTER    CLASSES.  143 

up  hunting  or  that  he  believes  he  knows  of  a  horse  that 
will  carry  him  better,  etc.  In  regard  to  the  argument  that 
a  horse  is  not  quite  up  to  a  certain  country,  but  will  in  all 
likelihood  go  well  in  yours,  a  quotation  in  an  article  on 
horses  in  the  "  Encyclopaedia  of  Sport,"  p.  536  is  here  given: 

"'Do  you  call  the  Blackshire  a  difficult  country?  '  a  young  man  is  re- 
ported to  have  asked  of  a  Nestor  of  the  Chase.  '  My  friend,'  was  the  reply, 
'  all  countries  are  difficult  when  the  hounds  really  run.'" 

"  The  Druid,"  in  "  Post  and  Paddock,"  quotes  a  friend 
as  saying : 

"  Had  I  to  choose  a  hunter  by  one  point  only,  it  should  be  his  head  ; 
for  I  never  saw  one  with  a  small,  clean,  intelligent  face  and  prominent  eyes 
to  be  bad." 

HUNTER    CLASSES. 

The  qualification  and  scale  of  judging  hunters  established 
by  the  National  Horse  Show  Association  of  America  is  as 
follows : 

"  Horses,  which  have  been  shown  at  any  place  of  exhibition  for  a  fixed 
consideration  or  guarantee,  shall  not  be  eligible  for  entry  at  this  show  as 
Qualified  or  Green  Hunters.  They  may,  however,  be  entered  where  per- 
formances over  fences  only  count. 

"All  exhibitors  entering  their  horses  in  the  Qualified  or  Green  Hunter 
classes,  must  furnish  a  certificate  from  the  Master  of  the  Hounds  with  whom 
their  horses  have  been  hunted.  Forms  of  certificate  will  be  furnished  by 
this  Association. 

"  Only  men  or  boys  over  fourteen  years  of  age  will  be  allowed  to  ride  in 
the  Hunter  or  Jumping  classes. 

"  N.  B. — No  horse  having  taken  a  first  prize  in  the  Hunter  or  Jumping 
classes  at  any  of  the  Association's  previous  shows  can  be  entered  in  the 
Hunter  classes,  but  they  may  compete  in  the  Corinthian,  Jumping  and 
Champion  classes. 

"  In  all  the  Hunter  and  Jumping  classes  where  the  number  of  entries  may 
make  it  desirable,  the  Association  reserves  to  itself  the  right  to  order  prelim- 


144  QUALIFIED  HUNTERS— GREEN  HUNTERS. 

inary  trials  at  an  hour,  of  which  ample  notice  will  be  given  in  the  pro- 
gramme. 

"  All  horses  to  win  .prizes  in  the  classes  for  Qualified  or  Green  Hunters 
must  be  pronounced  practically  sound  by  the  Veterinaries  of  the  Association, 
and  must  carry  a  minimum  weight  of  140  pounds. 

QUALIFIED    HUNTERS. 

"  Must  have  been  kept  for  hunting  purposes  and  have  been  regularly 
hunted  with  a  recognized  pack  of  hounds  more  than  one  year,  and  within 
one  year  of  date  of  entry.  A  certificate  to  this  effect  must  be  furnished. 

"  Qualified  Hunters  (Light  Weight)  up  to  carrying  under  165  pounds  to 
hounds. 

"Conformation  and  quality  to  count  50  per  cent;  performance  over 
fences  to  count  50  per  cent. 

"Qualified  Hunters  {Middle  Weight)  up  to  carrying  between  165  to  190 
pounds  to  hounds.  Conformation  and  quality  to  count  50  per  cent;  per- 
formance over  fences  to  count  50  per  cent. 

"Qualified  Hunters  {Heavy  Weight)  up  to  carrying  over  190  pounds  to 
hounds.  Conformation  and  quality  to  count  50  per  cent ;  performance  over 
fences  to  count  50  per  cent. 

GREEN    HUNTERS. 

"  Must  not  have  been  hunted  except  within  one  year  of  date  of  entry. 
Nor  at  any  time  before  that  year  have  been  a  first  prize  winner  in  classes  for 
Hunters  or  Jumpers  at  any  of  this  Association's  shows.  A  certificate  to  this 
effect  must  be  furnished. 

"Green  Hunters  (Light  Weight)  up  to  carrying  under  165  pounds  to 
hounds.  Conformation  and  quality  to  count  50  per  cent;  performance 
over  fences  to  count  50  per  cent. 

"Green  Hunters  {Middle  Weight)  up  to  carrying  between  165  to  190 
pounds  to  hounds.  Conformation  and  quality  to  count  50  per  cent;  per- 
formance over  fences  to  count  50  per  cent. 

"  Green  Hunters  {Heavy  Weight)  up  to  carrying  over  190  pounds  to 
hounds.  Conformation  to  count  50  per  cent ;  performance  over  fences  to 
count  50  per  cent."  —  From  the  Catalogue  of  the  National  Horse  Show 
Association,  1898. 

"  It  has  been  found  by  experience  that  the  average  weight  of  a  horse 


THE  POLO  PONY.  145 

capable  of  carrying  a  heavy  weight,  when  in  fair  hunting  condition,  exceeds 
1,150  Ibs. ;  of  middle  weight,  weighs  between  1,050  Ibs.  and  1,150  Ibs. ; 
and  light  weight,  weighs  less  than  1,050  Ibs. 

"  If  a  horse  is  entered  in  a  class  where,  in  the  judges'  opinion,  he  is 
up  to  more  weight  than  the  class  calls  for,  he  shall  receive  no  consideration 
for  his  extra  '  weight-carrying  qualities.'" — From  the  Prize  List  of  the 
Boston  Horse  Show,  1899. 

THE    POLO    PONY. 

The  height  of  a  polo  pony  is  usually  not  less  than 
13.2.  The  rules  of  the  Polo  Association  now  nominally 
require  that  a  pony  should  be  under  14.2 ;  and  this  height 
is  seldom  exceeded.  Ponies  are  divided  into  three  classes 
according  to  their  weight-carrying  ability  and  are  known 
as  light,  middle  and  heavy  weight  ponies.  A  novice  should 
study  the  characteristics  of  the  ponies  of  the  best  players 
and  note  carefully  in  what  respects  they  differ  from  the 
poorer  ponies.  In  buying  it  is  desirable  to  obtain  ponies 
that  are  well  trained ;  those  that  are  good  in  every  respect 
except  in  the  matter  of  speed  are  the  best  for  a  beginner, 
and  such  ponies  may  often  be  obtained  from  a  good  player 
who  wishes  to  get  faster  ponies.  A  little  discretion  and  hesi- 
tancy on  the  part  of  a  buyer  will  often  save  him  from  pay- 
ing for  his  experience  by  the  purchase  of  one  or  more  ponies 
that  are  only  fit  to  review  the  game  on  or  to  shake  his  con- 
stitution into  a  healthy  state  of  activity.  A  good  test  of 
a  pony  is  to  put  him  through  his  "  tricks  "  in  company  with 
a  friend  on  a  recognized  first-class  pony  and  to  compare  the 
way  in  which  the  two  ponies  acquit  themselves. 

Captain  Hayes,  in  "  The  Points  of  the  Horse,"  p.  276,  de- 
fines the  qualifications  of  a  polo  pony  as  follows : 

"  Handiness  and  speed,  with  sufficient  staying  and  weight-carrying 
power,  are  the  two  chief  requirements  of  the  polo  pony.  Consequently,  he 


146  THE  POLO  PONY. 

should  be  light  in  front,  should  carry  his  head  and  neck  well,  have  sloping 
shoulders  and  particularly  strong  hocks;  the  fact  of  his  being  slightly 
'  goose  rumped '  will  be  no  detriment." 

A  good  polo  pony  is  one  that  is  fast,  perfectly  sound,  of 
proper  disposition,  t.  e.,  neither  too  hot-headed  nor  sluggish, 
and  has, 

Short  straight  back. 

Strong  rump,  thighs  and  hocks. 

A  deep  and  well-rounded  body. 

Sloping  shoulders  and  well  "  cut  away  "  in  front. 

A  lean  neck,  small  head  and  broad  between  the  eyes. 

Strong  flat  legs  and  well-developed  tendons. 

Level  and  smooth  in  gait. 

Trained  to  guide  by  the  pressure  of  the  reins  on  the 
sides  of  the  neck. 

Trained  to  keep  the  pace  set  by  the  rider. 

Neither  mallet  nor  ball  shy. 

Willing  to  throw  his  weight  against  an  adversary's  pony 
in  "riding  off." 

Able  to  spring  from  a  standstill  into  a  gallop,  to  stop  in 
a  few  strides  and  change  his  leading  leg  on  mak- 
ing his  turns. 

Regarding  the  breed  of  polo  ponies,  J.  Moran  Brown,  in 
"  Riding  and  Polo,"  p.  306,  Badminton  Library,  says : 

"  '  Blood  will  tell,1  is  a  common  and  very  true  saying  and  it  is  apparent 
that  an  animal  bred  expressly  for  racing  must  be  endowed  with  the  greatest 
speed.  The  pluck  of  a  thoroughbred  also  enables  him  to  go  on  until  he 
drops.  But  here,  I  think,  the  advantages  of  the  thoroughbred  horses  cease. 
They  have  not  always  the  very  best  of  tempers.  Many  of  them  cannot  carry 
very  great  weights,  and  in  this  it  must  be  understood  that  my  remarks  apply 
to  thoroughbred  ponies,  animals  which  from  their  being  undersized  have 
never  been  thought  worthy  of  being  '  put  through  the  mill '  in  a  racing 


SOURCES   OF  SUPPLY.  147 

stable.  The  thoroughbred  pony  does  not  seem  to  withstand  the  constant 
strain  he  has  to  undergo  in  twisting  and  turning  during  a  game  of  polo ;  his 
constitution  is  very  often  delicate,  and  his  narrow  formation  in  front  and 
high  withers  prevent  him  from  turning  very  sharply." 

SOURCES    OF    SUPPLY. 

The  successful  man  of  business  realizes  the  importance 
of  having  a  thorough  knowledge  of  whatever  he  deals  in, 
and  his  general  want  of  confidence  in  human  nature  prompts 
him,  when  investing  in  something  out  of  his  line,  to  buy  of 
a  well-known  and  reliable  firm.  The  writer  advises  the  self- 
dependent  novice  in  horse  matters  to  take  the  same  precau- 
tion. Though  the  original  outlay  may  be  more,  in  the  end 
the  purchaser  has  something  of  credit  to  show  for  his  money 
instead  of  from  one  to  six  worthless  cripples.  It  may  be 
asked,  how  is  the  beginner  to  know  where  to  find  a  good 
dealer  ?  The  answer  is  simple.  Go  to  a  well-known  car- 
nage builder  or  one  of  the  firm,  not  a  salesman,  or  to  any 
of  the  well  known  horse  owners.  Other  channels  of  infor- 
mation are  the  advertising  columns  of  the  sporting  period- 
icals and  daily  papers.  As  the  former  journals  have  the  in- 
terest of  lovers  of  the  horse  at  heart  any  advertisement 
which  is  evidently  of  a  questionable  nature  is  usually  de- 
clined ;  whereas  the  proprietors  of  morning  and  evening 
papers  too  often  shut  their  eyes  to  the  character  of  the 
notices  which  are  obviously  intended  to  deceive  the  public, 
and  it  is  in  the  columns  of  these  papers  that  most  of  the 
crooked  order  of  the  fraternity  set  their  bait. 

Sir  George  Stephen,  as  will  be  seen  from  the  following 
quotation,  is  even  more  sceptical  of  advertisements  than  the 
writer : 

"  Whenever  you  see  a  horse  advertised  for  sale,  avoid  him  as  you  would 


148  BREEDERS. 

a  pestilence.  If  he  is  a  '  sweet  goer,'  depend  upon  it  you  will  be  gently 
dropped  into  the  sweetest  kennel  in  St.  Giles's ;  if  he  is  '  well  suited  for  a 
charger,'  he  is  sure  to  charge  a  haystack  and  a  park  of  artillery  with  equal 
determination  ;  if '  he  never  shies  or  stumbles,'  the  chances  are,  three  to  one, 
that  he  is  stone-blind,  or  cannot  quit  a  walk  ;  the  '  best  horse  in  England  '  is 
to  a  certainty  the  worst  in  London  ;  when  '  parted  with  for  no  fault '  it  means 
that  he  is  sold  for  a  hundred  ;  if  l  the  reasons  will  be  satisfactorily  explained,' 
it  may  be  taken  for  granted  that  the  master  has  absconded,  either  for  steal- 
ing him  or  robbing  his  creditors ;  when  '  built  like  a  castle '  he  will  move 
like  a  church  steeple ;  if '  equal  to  fifteen  stone  up  to  the  fleetest  hounds  in 
England,'  depend  upon  it  he  never  saw  the  tail  of  a  hound  in  his  life ;  if  he 
is  a  '  beautiful  stepper,'  you  will  find  that  he  has  the  action  of  a  peacock ;  if 
a  '  liberal  trial  is  allowed,'  be  most  especially  careful ;  a  deposit  of  half  the 
price,  but  three  times  his  value,  will  assuredly  be  required  as  security  for  your 
return  ;  and  finally,  whenever  you  see  that  he  is  the  property  '  of  a  tradesman 
who  wants  to  exchange  for  a  horse  of  less  value  for  his  business,'  of  a  'gentle- 
man who  has  given  up  riding  from  ill  health,'  or  '  because  he  is  going  abroad,' 
of  '  a  professional  man  whose  avocations  call  him  from  town,'  of  '  a  person  of 
respectability  who  can  be  referred  to,'  you  may  safely  swear  that  he  belongs 
to  a  systematic  chaunter,  who  will  swindle  you  both  out  of  horse  and  money, 
and  involve  you  in  all  the  trouble,  cost  and  vexation  of  an  Old  Bailey  prose- 
cution to  boot."  —  "  The  Adventures  of  a  Gentleman  in  Search  of  a  Horse" 
PP- 32,33- 

Horses  are  sold  in  many  ways  by  men  whose  varying 
conditions  are  only  exceeded  by  the  variety  of  the  animals 
that  pass  through  their  hands. 

BREEDERS. 

The  highest  class  and  priced  horses  are  obtained  from 
well-known  dealers  and  breeders.  The  former  go  from  place 
to  place  during  the  off  seasons  of  the  year  and  buy  what 
they  consider  likely  animals  which  they  school  and  dispose 
of  to  certain  patrons  or  at  private  sales.  If  a  buyer  is  going 
in  for  well  bred  or  show  animals  and  is  willing  to  pay  a 


INDIVIDUAL   DEALERS.  149 

long  figure  he  is  safer  in  the  hands  of  such  dealers  than  in 
purchasing  from  other  sources.  These  men  are  expert 
judges  of  horses  of  the  fashionable  stamp,  and  base  their 
reputation  and  profit  on  fair  dealing.  The  owners  of  large 
breeding  establishments  find  that  better  prices  are  obtained 
by  conducting  their  own  private  sales,  and  therefore  send 
the  inferior  young  or  old  horses  to  the  auction  rooms.  The 
small  breeders  send  consignments  of  the  unsold  stock  to  be 
disposed  of  at  the  weekly  or  bi-weekly  sales  in  large  cities. 

INDIVIDUAL    DEALERS. 

Veterinary  surgeons  and  livery-stable  keepers  often  com-" 
bine  the  part  of  commission  agent  with  that  of  their  respec- 
tive vocations,  and  they  will  buy  and  sell  for  a  consideration. 
They  usually  act  as  middlemen  between  private  buyers,  but 
they  not  infrequently  purchase  a  horse  with  the  hope  of 
turning  a  penny  or  have  an  animal  forced  upon  them  in  pay- 
ment of  a  bad  debt.  "  Cappers  "  are  professional  commis- 
sion agents  whose  chief  interest  is  in  their  commission. 
Horses  from  private  stables  are  frequently  sold  by  the  owner, 
or  by  his  coachman  who  with  some  confrere  act  as  middle- 
men between  two  masters.  Horses  thus  offered  for  sale 
generally  belong  to  one  of  the  three  following  types  :  first 
are  those  which  have  gone  wrong  under  the  presiding  ser- 
vant's mismanagement ;  second,  a  few  of  the  poorest  of  an 
overstocked  stable  which  the  owner  wishes  to  reduce.  These 
are  the  horses  that  are  advertised  under  the  head  of  "  to  be 
sold  as  the  owner  is  going  to  Europe,"  "  has  no  future  use 
for  them,"  and  are  to  be  looked  at  suspiciously,  as  these 
explanations  are  well  known  baits  for  the  unwary  who,  feel- 
ing safe  at  last  from  the  dreaded  horse  shark,  buy  blindly. 


150  HORSES  AT  AUCTION. 

Third,  are  those  horses  which  a  speculating  coachman  has 
bought  cheap  and  holds  at  an  advanced  price.  In  some 
cases  these  horses  are  good  and  the  prices  are  correspond- 
ingly high.  It  more  often  happens  that  the  servant  has 
made  an  injudicious  purchase  for  which  reason  the  price  is 
temptingly  low,  or  so  high  as  to  indicate  the  existence  of 
perfection. 

HORSES    AT    AUCTION. 

In  addition  to  these  retail  dealers,  if  the  expression  may 
be  allowed,  are  the  wholesale  dealers  who  control  the  great 
marts  in  the  large  cities  where  bi-  or  tri-weekly  sales  by 
auction  are  held.  The  approximate  charge  is  10  per  cent 
to  all  owners  whose  horses  have  sold  for  under  $100,  and  8 
per  cent  on  all  sales  of  $100  or  over.  One  half  of  these  per- 
centages are  charged  on  the  highest  sums  bid  for  horses  not 
sold.  The  purchaser  cannot  be  held  for  any  sum  beyond 
that  bid.  The  commission  and  stable  charges  are  paid  by 
the  person  selling  the  horse. 

The  objections  to  buying  a  horse  at  auction  are  many. 
No  opportunity  is  given  to  obtain  the  true  history  of  the 
animal  or  to  fairly  test  him  under  the  same  conditions  as 
those  he  will  encounter  in  performing  the  work  for  which 
he  is  intended,  and  hence  it  is  that  road  and  stable  tricks 
remain  hidden  until  the  horse  becomes  the  purchaser's  prop- 
erty. A  horse  brought  out  of  a  dark  stable  into  the  arti- 
ficially lighted  salesroom  is  bewildered  by  the  confusing 
mass  of  humanity  that  immediately  surrounds  him,  handles 
and  jabs  him  in  the  ribs,  or  disconcerts  him  with  other 
roughly  administered  forms  of  examination.  After  one  or 
two  weak  bids  the  horse  is  rushed  a  few  rods  up  and  down 


HORSES  AT  AUCTION.  151 

• 

a  soft  tan  runway  by  a  man  who  judiciously  allows  no  free- 
dom to  the  head,  and  the  horse  is  further  deprived  of  any 
chance  or  inclination  to  exhibit  his  natural  qualities  by  the 
free  use  of  the  whip  which  is  applied  by  the  faithful  lieuten- 
ants of  the  auctioneer  who  form  a  gantlet  of  efficient  per- 
secutors. As  a  result  bad  horses  show  to  an  advantage  and 
superior  ones  to  a  disadvantage. 

The  apparently  irrational  course  pursued  in  showing 
some  horses  in  harness  and  others  in  hand  usually  has  some 
very  sound  foundation  in  which  the  welfare  of  the  prospec- 
tive buyer  does  not  enter  very  largely.  Harness  improves 
the  appearance  of  awkwardly  made  horses,  and  a  horse  shown 
in  hand  does  not  have  an  opportunity  to  demonstrate  by 
kicking  a  wagon  to  pieces  that,  although  "  safe  and  kind  for 
a  lady  to  drive,"  the  wear  and  tear  incident  to  vehicles 
make  him  an  undesirable  possession. 

The  common  biography  of  all  horses  that  find  their  way 
to  auction  sales  is  "  six,  coming  seven,  sound,  kind,  fit  for 
any  one  to  drive,  and  sold  only  because  the  owner  has  no 
further  use  for  him."  To  the  initiated  these  descriptive  re- 
marks are  merely  precautionary  measures  against  allowing 
any  chance  being  lost  of  impressing  an  ingenuous  onlooker. 
This  recommendation  is  of  such  a  general  nature  that  if  it 
is  proved  that  it  is  undeserved,  the  buyer  can  obtain  no 
satisfactory  redress.  The  auctioneer  transfers  the  blame  to 
the  former  owner,  who  maintains  that  the  guarantee  was 
unauthorized,  or  he  offers  to  exchange  the  subject  of  dispute 
for  another  horse  which  is  either  a  higher  priced  animal,  for 
which  the  buyer  has  to  pay  an  additional  sum,  or  else  he  is 
worse  than  the  horse  already  bought ;  more  than  likely  he 
is  both  together. 


152  VALUES. 

The  advice  which  the  Earl  of  Onslow  gives  regarding 
bidders  at  auction  covers  the  ground  so  thoroughly  that  it 
is  here  quoted  in  full : 

"  Many  purchasers  are  led  away  from  the  sum  which  they  had  deter- 
mined to  give  by  the  excitement  of  competition  at  an  auction  and  think  that 
after  all,  for  a  horse  that  has  taken  their  fancy,  five,  ten  and  so  on  up  to  fifty 
guineas  more  than  they  had  intended  to  give  will  not  hurt  them.  This  is 
the  most  mistaken  course  to  pursue,  for  the  price  which  a  purchaser  ulti- 
mately gives  he  might  probably  have  all  the  advantages  of  a  trial  and  more 
complete  veterinary  examination  of  a  dealer's  horse,  while  his  fancied 
competitor,  whom  he  thinks  must,  from  his  evident  determination  to  have 
the  animal,  know  that  he  is  going  to  get  good  value  for  his  money,  will 
probably  turn  out  to  be  a  friend  of  the  owner  and  is  only  bidding  as  a  means 
of  placing  a  high  reserve  price  upon  the  animal.  To  buy  at  auction  requires 
time  and  patience ;  and  to  buy  cheap,  a  man  needs  strength  of  rnind  when 
he  sees  a  horse  he  has  taken  a  fancy  to  going  for  prices  higher  than  he  had 
previously  decided  to  pay."  — "  Driving" p.  62,  Badminton  Library. 

VALUES. 

In  order  to  acquire  a  knowledge  of  values  the  novice  will 
be  compelled  to  spend  some  little  time  in  attending  sales  and 
use  much  discrimination  in  drawing  his  conclusions.  That 
different  types  of  horses  have  their  special  value  may  be 
seen  by  the  following : 

"  Many  horses  that  are  kept  for  use  are  to  be  valued,  and  that  nearly  as 
closely  as  any  other  useful  article.  Cart  horses  can  be  valued  to  a  great 
nicety  by  any  man  accustomed  to  the  buying  and  selling  them  ;  so  can  good, 
fair,  useful,  thirty  or  forty  pound  harness  horses  for  other  work ;  even  car- 
riage horses  can  be  estimated  when  they  are  merely  a  fair,  useful  sort,  worth, 
we  will  say,  from  a  hundred  and  twenty  to  a  hundred  and  fifty  the  pair ; 
beyond  this  their  price  is  almost  nominal,  for  what  a  pair  of  singularly  beau- 
tiful well-matched  horses,  with  extraordinary  high,  grand  and  fashionable 
action,  would  bring,  depends  on  the  purse,  inclination  or  folly  of  the  pur- 
chaser ;  such  a  pair  would  be  a  little  fortune  to  a  man  if  the  young  and  beau- 
tiful wife  of  a  rich  old  man  took  a  fancy  to  them  ;  the  fortunate  owner  would 


BUYING.  153 

not  only  get  a  heavy  addition  to  his  purse,  but  the  good  will  of  the  lady,  by 
making  the  old  gentleman  evince  to  the  world  the  fervor  of  his  adoration,  by 
the  price  he  paid  to  gratify  her  whim." — "The  Pocket  and  Stud"  pp.172, 173. 

"  The  fact  is,  the  value  of  a  hunter  is  nominal,  but  not  often  definable  ; 
it  is  only  to  be  defined  in  one  way :  if  half  a  dozen  known  good  riders  to 
hounds  would  each  give  a  hundred  and  fifty  or  any  given  price  for  the  same 
horse,  that  price  for  the  time  being  is  his  value ;  but  it  in  no  way  follows, 
because  an  owner  may  set  a  given  price  on  his  horse  and  may  find  a  pur- 
chaser to  give  it,  that  such  is  his  value ;  the  price  set  on  him  arose  from 
his  owner's  estimation  of  the  qualifications  the  animal  possessed,  and  the 
price  given  was  from  the  purchaser's  estimation  of  them  being  the  same  as 
the  owner's ;  probably  no  other  man  would  have  given  half  the  money  — 
many  would  not  perhaps  ride  the  horse  if  they  were  paid  for  doing  it."  — 
"The  Pocket  and  Stud,"  p.  171. 

"  The  last  hint  that  I  shall  offer  on  this  topic  is  to  decide,  in  the  first 
instance,  the  limit  in  price ;  and  having  settled  '  the  figure,'  to  allow  no 
horse  dealing  oratory  to  change  the  determination.  I  may  observe  that  a 
horse,  which  is  really  good  and  exactly  adapted  to  a  man's  purpose,  is  dear 
at  no  price ;  but  it  by  no  means  follows  that  because  a  high  price  is  asked  or 
even  refused,  that  the  horse  is  worth  it."  —  Sir  George  Stephen,  "  The  Adven- 
tures of  a  Gentleman  in  Search  of  a  Horse"  p.  TJ. 

BUYING. 

Horse  buying  to  be  successfully  conducted  must  be  lim- 
ited to  those  persons  who  have  developed,  by  practical  expe- 
rience, an  instinctive  appreciation  of  what  constitutes  a  good 
horse  and  the  right  type  for  a  special  purpose.  The  neces- 
sary acquirements  and  gifts  of  a  competent  judge  are,  a 
thorough  understanding  of  equine  anatomy  and  maladies, 
together  with  clear  judgment  and  trained  hands  and  eyes  ; 
for  such  knowledge  a  long  and  varied  experience  is  abso- 
lutely essential. 

The  average  man  is  quite  satisfied  to  devote  his  time  to 
more  intellectual  and  remunerative  pursuits  than  it  is  con- 


154  BUYING. 

sidered  the  study  and  care  of  horses  afford ;  yet  the  same 
man  feels  competent  to  undertake  a  purchase  without  assist- 
ance when  his  needs  or  inclinations  dictate  that  he  shall  have 
one  or  more  horses.  If  the  buyer  has  a  long  purse  the  ex- 
periment will  neither  be  financially  embarrassing  nor  devoid 
of  interest.  The  chances  are  that  he  will  gain  much  experi- 
ence which  *nay  or  may  not  be  of  the  useful  order ;  and  his 
respect  for  a  good  judge  of  a  horse  will  be  amazingly  increased. 

The  advice  of  "  don't  buy  a  horse  from  a  friend,"  if  fol- 
lowed, will  help  to  protect  the  amicable  relations  existing 
between  men  from  temporary  or  lasting  rupture.  The 
causes  which  make  sales  and  purchases  hazardous  to  friend- 
ship are  due  to  the  uncertainty  of  the  condition  and  the 
quality  of  the  subject  of  the  transaction  (namely,  the  horse); 
and  the  human  failing  to  take  advantage  of  or  to  distrust 
upon  the  slightest  provocation. 

Should  the  reader  have  some  "  horsy "  friend  whose 
judgment  he  is  willing  to  recognize  as  superior  to  his  own 
and  who,  by  successful  purchases  in  the  past,  commands  suffi- 
cient confidence  to  have  intrusted  to  him  the  entire  matter  of 
barter  and  purchase,  let  the  novice  say  to  such  an  acquaint- 
ance, "  I  am  in  need  of  a  horse.  Will  you  be  kind  enough  to 
find  one  to  meet  my  requirements  and  have  him  sent  to  the 
stable  ? "  Name  the  nature  of  the  work  for  which  the  horse 
is  intended,  your  preference  in  the  matter  of  color  and  what 
price  you  can  afford  to  pay.  A  commission  of  this  kind  is  a 
compliment  to  an  amateur  expert  and  one  which  he  will 
endeavor  to  merit  by  making  as  successful  a  purchase  as 
lies  within  his  power.  A  good  judge  of  a  horse  finds  the  risk 
of  acting  as  agent  is  less  trying  in  proportion  to  the  amount  of 
"horsy"  knowledge  his  friend  possesses  or  lacks.  It  may  be 


BUYING.  155 

said  that  a  person  who  knows  nothing  whatsoever  about  a 
horse  is  the  easiest  to  please,  the  one  having  a  mere  smatter- 
ing the  hardest,  and  the  man  who  has  had  some  experience 
himself,  and  knows  the  innumerable  difficulties  that  lie  in  the 
way  of  a  successful  purchase,  the  most  appreciative.  The 
last  order  of  patron  is  thoroughly  aware  that  perfection  is  not 
to  be  found,  and  is  quite  satisfied  if  the  animal  is  sound  and 
fairly  well  suited  for  his  work.  If  a  purchase  proves  unsatis- 
factory the  new  owner  should  realize  that  to  err  is  human, 
and  he  ought  to  be  thankful  that,  although  the  horse  is  a 
trifle  slower  or  less  highly  strung  than  is  desirable,  he  might 
have  bought,  had  he  made  the  purchase  himself,  an  animal 
broken  in  wind,  defective  in  sight  or  the  possessor  of  more 
serious  faults. 

Never  abuse  the  kindness  of  a  friend  by  asking  him  to 
go  to  one  or  more  sale  stables  and  select  six  or  a  dozen 
steeds,  in  order  that  you  may  come  in  a  lordly  way  and  ex- 
hibit your  ignorance  by  some  blundering  criticism.  A  gen- 
tleman, no  matter  how  vain  he  may  be,  is  justly  annoyed  by 
being  requested  to  do  this  "  capper's  "  work  of  "  spot  'em 
down  "  and  "  trot  'em  out."  If  you,  as  a  buyer,  wish  to  in- 
fuse your  personality  into  the  selection,  or,  as  it  is  vulgarly 
termed,  "  have  a  finger  in  the  pie,"  go  the  rounds  yourself  or 
with  your  servant,  and  having  picked  out  several  likely  ani- 
mals ask  your  amateur  expert  to  pass  judgment  on  your 
selection.  The  novice,  through  fear  of  making  a  mistake, 
frequently  rejects  horses  right  and  left ;  as  a  consequence  the 
dealers  grow  vexed  and  become  tired  of  trotting  out  "  a 
herd  "  a  day  for  inspection,  your  mentor  is  disgusted  and 
made  the  subject  of  strong  epithets  from  the  stable  hands 
and  the  "  boss  "  for  wasting  their  time  and  his  own. 


156  BUYING. 

After  having  made  an  investment,  if  the  new  owner  de- 
cides, for  some  reason  or  without  reason,  to  part  with  his 
adviser's  choice  he  ought  not  to  add  insult  to  injury  by  as- 
suming that  it  is  the  latter's  duty  to  find  a  buyer  or  to  effect 
an  exchange  as  compensation  for  having  failed  in  the  at- 
tempt. It  is  more  likely  that  his  adviser  would  gain  addi- 
tional disfavor  by  any  further  effort. 

In  connection  with  the  execution  of  a  purchase  by  a 
friend  the  question  often  arises,  "  How  can  I  express  my  ap- 
preciation of  the  trouble  he  has  taken  in  my  behalf  ?  "  The 
average  gentleman  expert  is  more  than  satisfied  to  have 
served  you  to  your  liking,  but  a  note  of  thanks,  accompanied 
by  some  small  token  of  your  gratitude,  such  as  a  walking 
stick,  flask  or  cigar  cutter,  serves  as  a  permanent  tribute  to 
his  knowledge  of  horse  flesh  and  one  which  he  will  prize 
for  its  significance  rather  than  for  its  intrinsic  value. 

It  more  often  happens  that  a  novice,  instead  of  having  a 
friend  to  aid  him,  is  dependent  upon  his  own  or  his  coach- 
man's resources  for  buying  one  or  more  horses,  and  is  forced 
to  go  through  the  trying  ordeal  of  purchasing  without  hav- 
ing the  slightest  qualification  for  the  task.  Hence  it  is  that 
among  the  motley  crowd  of  buyers  at  sale  stables  there  are 
always  to  be  found  representatives  of  the  two  opposite  types 
of  purchasers  :  first,  the  experienced  and  cautious  buyer ;  and 
second,  the  ignorant  but  self-satisfied  wiseacre.  The  lat- 
ter is  the  natural  victim  of  even  honest  dealers.  Such  men 
are  but  human,  and  if  they  have  had  the  misfortune  to  get 
an  inferior  nag  into  their  hands,  they  will  take  the  first  oppor- 
tunity of  passing  him  off.  If  a  buyer,  by  his  manner,  gives 
the  dealer  to  understand  that  he  is  distrusted,  that  individ- 
ual is  far  more  likely  to  "  land  the  buyer  "  than  he  would  if 


BUYING.  157 

the  purchaser  acknowledged  his  ignorance  and  depended 
upon  the  dealer's  judgment.  Unless  a  man  is  a  thorough 
knave,  dependence  makes  him  act  more  honestly  than  the 
assumption  of  knowledge  which  he  realizes  to  be  superficial. 
"  It  is  as  true  in  horse  dealing  as  in  any  other  trade,  that  constant  and 
permanent  success  depends  on  character,  as  well  for  honesty  as  for  judg- 
ment. A  man  may  sell  a  bad  horse  to  advantage,  but  he  knows  that,  if 
chargeable  with  an  intention  to  deceive,  he  is  at  once  classed  with  the 
knaves  of  his  profession ;  and  regular  customers  are  driven  away  from  his 
stables  forever.  Horses  are  rarely  to  be  found  at  these  places  cheap,  nor 
is  it  reasonable  to  expect  it ;  for  all  perishable  commodities,  and  few  de- 
serve the  epithet  more  than  cattle,  are  inevitably  high  priced.  It  is  better, 
however,  to  give  sixty  or  seventy  guineas,  in  the  first  instance,  for  a  good 
and  tried  horse,  than  to  buy  half  a  dozen  at  an  average  of  half  the  money, 
with  the  certainty  of  losing  at  least  forty  per  cent  on  the  sale,  exchange  or 
return  of  five  of  them.  The  horses  of  such  dealers  are  generally  high 
priced ;  and  I  have  seen  many  among  them  which  I  would  not  buy  at  any 
price  ;  but  still  I  should  go  with  confidence  to  their  stables." — "The  Adven- 
tures of  a  Gentleman  in  Search  of  a  Horse"  pp.  j6,  J/. 

To  those  who,  through  the  deference  usurped  by  stable 
servants  or  who  are  seized  with  qualms  and  misgivings  as  the 
climax  of  a  purchase  approaches,  turn  to  their  coachman 
with  the  mingled  feelings  of  hope  and  relief  that  he  will 
detect  faults  so  far  unobserved,  or  that  the  responsibility  will 
rest  on  some  one  who  can  be  unreservedly  blamed,  to  the 
novice  who  finds  himself  in  this  predicament,  a  few  words  on 
the  inadvisability  of  placing  much,  if  any,  confidence  in  the 
opinion  of  an  ordinary  coachman  may  be  disheartening,  but 
worthy  of  consideration. 

The  proportion  of  absolutely  honest  and  disinterested 
coachmen  is  so  small  that  those  who  have  their  master's 
interests  alone  at  heart  are  never  met  with  by  the  average 
horse  owner.  In  the  barter  of  a  horse  the  seller  has  from  $5 


158  BUYING. 

to  $100  or  even  more  for  your  servant  if  he  has  the  power  of 
determining  the  sale  and  exercises  it  to  the  dealer's  advan- 
tage. This  bribe  or  so-called  commission  is  a  well  under- 
stood item  in  the  deal,  and  if  the  coachman  is  honest  and 
smart  he  will  treat  his  employer  fairly  and  get  his  commission 
to  boot ;  but  if  he  is,  as  are  most  of  his  calling,  of  elastic 
morals,  the  tyro  will  buy  many  worthless  "  screws,"  on  the 
sale  of  each  of  which  the  coachman  will  receive  his  "  mite  " 
and  something  besides  from  a  quack  whose  services  are  after- 
wards sought  to  mend  some  incurable  defect. 

Then  again  a  purchaser  may  be  led  astray  by  the  advice 
of  an  honest  but  ignorant  servant  who  has  accepted,  without 
discrimination  or  thought,  hearsay  traditions  with  the  result 
that  his  knowledge  of  horses  is  worthless. 

A  coachman's  opinion  is  infallible  :  an  expert  often  errs. 
As  a  general  thing,  although  coachmen  profess  to  be  judges 
of  horses,  they  know  little  or  nothing  about  proportion  and 
other  essential  qualifications,  and  their  opinions  are  usually 
formed  by  the  more  material  considerations  of  the  trans- 
actions than  upon  the  actual  merits  of  the  horse.  If  all  men 
were  as  good  judges  as  they  profess  to  be,  their  services 
would  be  worth  double  or  triple  what  they  command,^nd 
it  is  no  injustice  to  say  that  their  opinions  pass  muster  owing 
to  the  ignorance  of  the  inexperienced  master  rather  than  on 
the  honest  endorsement  of  educated  owners  and  successful 
dealers. 

When  a  buyer  can  afford  the  time,  he  should  go  about 
the  horse  markets  and  learn  what  is  the  average  current 
price  for  the  class  of  horse  he  desires  to  buy.  During  such 
a  tour  the  methods  of  practised  purchasers  may  be  observed 
as  well  as  the  follies  committed  by  "  green  ones,"  and  one 


SOME   "DOWTS"   FOR  BUYERS.  159 

may  gain  much  useful  and  inexpensive  experience  before  the 
fatal  nod  is  given  to  the  auctioneer  and  is  acknowledged  by 
the  reply,  "  The  horse  is  yours,  sir." 

The  average  auction  veterinarian  is  a  disgrace  to  the 
profession  he  represents ;  and  although  it  is  absolutely  essen- 
tial that  the  inexperienced  buyer  should  obtain  some  expert 
opinion  as  to  the  age,  state  of  health  and  soundness  of  the 
horse  or  horses  under  consideration,  such  an  examination 
should  be  made  by  a  capable  and  trustworthy  veterinary 
surgeon. 


SOME  "  DON'TS  "  FOR  BUYERS. 


Don't  buy  for  yourself  unless  it  is  impossible  to  obtain 
trustworthy  counsel. 

Don't  buy  of  a  friend  ;  there  is  a  saying  "  that  a  man  will 
cheat  a  brother  in  horseflesh." 

Don't  buy  of  an  owner  who  refuses  to  have  his  horses 
examined  by  your  veterinary  surgeon. 

Don't  buy  a  horse  with  any  physical  defects.  Some 
slight  additional  breaking  down  may  render  the  animal 
useless. 

Don't  buy  an  unreasonably  cheap  horse,  the  chances  are 
nine  to  ten  that  for  some  reason  the  price  asked  is  more  than 
he  is  worth. 

Don't  buy  a  horse  in  haste  to  prevent  that  very  vague 
somebody  else  from  getting  him. 

Don't  look  at  a  bad  horse  with  the  hope  that  he  may 
have  sufficient  redeeming  points  to.  counterbalance  his 
defects. 

Don't  take  a  horse  on  trial  when  half  the  asking  price, 
but  twice  his  value,  is  required  as  security. 


160 


SOME   "DOWTS"   FOR   BUYERS. 


Don't  buy  a  single  horse  in  making  up  a  pair  in  the 
hope  of  finding  a  mate  for  him.  You  will  in  all  likelihood 
be  able  to  find  fifty  pairs  in  the  time  required  to  obtain  the 
second  animal,  any  of  which  pairs  can  be  had  for  less  than 
the  price  paid  for  the  horses  bought  separately. 

Don't  pay  more  than  the  price  you  have  fixed  upon  until 
you  have  satisfied  yourself  that  it  is  impossible  with  that  sum 
to  buy  the  type  of  horse  you  want. 


CHAPTER     VIII. 
HARNESS. 

QUALITY    OF    LEATHER,    FURNITURE,    FITTING,    VARIOUS 
PARTS    AND    APPOINTMENTS. 

HARNESS  to  the  horse  is  what  a  dress 
is  to  a  woman — it  may  be  elaborate  to 
the  extent  of  being  shoddy,  or  on  the 
other  hand  it  may  be  simple,  appro- 
priate, of  good  material  and  workman- 
ship. A  refined  woman  chooses  by  in- 
stinct the  latter  form,  and  any  elabora- 
tion introduced  is  made  with  care  and 
judgment.  The  same  principles  apply 
to  harness,  and  if  it  is  thought  that 
fancy  metal  and  stitching  are  required 
to  be  "smart,"  let  the  above  simile  be 
again  employed  to  prove  the  contrary. 
What  is  neater  or  "smarter"  than  the 
tailor-made  costume?  And  is  not  this 
"smartness"  due  to  its  very  simplicity? 
In  sanctioning  the  elaboration  of 
harness  under  certain  conditions,  the 
chances  are  that  when  it  is  attempted 

by  a  novice  the  result  will  be  open  to  adverse  criticism. 
For  instance,  although  there  is  no  serious  objection  to  the  use 
of  fronts  (or  brow-bands)  made  of  silk  cord  if  the  colors  are 
subdued,  yet  to  some  owners  red  and  yellow  and  similar  com- 

161 


162  THE    QUALITY  OF  LEATHER. 

binations  would  not  be  considered  "flashy,"  though  admit- 
tedly not  quite  sombre. 

The  distinctions  that  are  made  regarding  the  various 
types  of  harness  are  drawn  from  a  careful  study  of  those 
receiving  the  approval  of  the  judges  of  the  National  Horse 
Show  in  New  York  City. 

THE    QUALITY    OF    LEATHER. 

If  all  of  the  best  harness  firms  dealt  in  none  but  articles 
of  the  highest  grade,  the  tyro  could  feel  assured  that  by 
going  to  such  dealers  he  would  be  supplied  with  good  ma- 
terial, but  unfortunately  competition  and  ignorance  of  pa- 
trons make  it  necessary  for  these  dealers  to  keep  goods  of 
inferior  quality ;  and  it  is  therefore  advisable  for  a  purchaser, 
if  he  desires  the  best,  to  learn  what  really  constitutes  good 
harness.  The  following  condensed  explanation  of  the  prep- 
aration of  hide  for  harness,  and  a  few  subsequent  remarks 
on  harness  of  different  qualities  and  workmanship,  are  given 
to  supply  the  little  information  that  can  be  conveyed  by 
description : 

Neat's  pelts,  /.  <?.,  the  skins  of  heifers  and  steers,  are  the  best  material  in 
the  production  of  leather  for  harness.  The  skins  are  first  soaked  in  water 
and  then  either  placed  in  lime  pits  or  hung  up  until  the  hair  becomes  loose 
and  can  be  removed.  The  skins  are  next  submitted  to  a  series  of  oak  bark 
baths  of  increasing  strength,  but  the  cheaper  grades  of  leather  are  tanned 
with  chemicals.  When  the  leather  is  thoroughly  tanned  it  is  again  soaked 
and  then  curried,  /.  e.,  shaved  to  make  it  of  uniform  thickness.  The  dirt 
stains  have  now  to  be  removed  by  scouring  before  the  skin  can  be  treated 
with  a  dressing  of  tallow  and  oil  which  makes  it  soft  and  waterproof.  The 
last  process  is  that  of  dyeing  the  leather  black  or  japanning  to  produce  what 
is  known  as  patent  or  enamelled  leather. 

Good  leather  is  expensive  for  reasons  which  will  be  at 


THE    CHARACTER    OF  HARNESS.  163 

once  apparent.  In  the  first  place  the  best  leather  is  tanned 
with  oak  bark.  This  process  is  more  costly  and  requires  a 
year's  time  instead  of  the  few  weeks  in  which  period  the 
cheaper  grades  are  chemically  tanned.  Large  harness  manu- 
facturers have  experts  who  choose  hides  free  from  scars  and 
rough  grain,  the  strength  of  which  has  not  been  weakened 
by  poor  currying.  The  leather  is  cut  as  is  best  suited  to  the 
different  parts  of  the  harness.  On  the  other  hand,  cheap 
harness  is  made  from  inferior  skins.  Small  dealers  are  forced 
to  use  the  hide  to  the  best  advantage  for  their  own  interest 
and  at  the  sacrifice  of  that  of  the  purchaser ;  every  scrap  has 
to  be  consumed,  which  often  results  in  the  leather  being  cut 
across  the  grain,  thereby  reducing  its  strength  by  fifty  per 
cent.  It  is  impossible  to  determine  the  quality  of  leather 
except  by  feeling,  and  this  can  only  be  successfully  accom- 
plished after  much  experience. 

"  Good  leather  is  defined  by  Fitzgerald  of  New  York  <  as  being  solid, 
but  not  hard ;  mellow,  but  not  soft' ;  qualities  that  cannot  be  explained,  but 
which  can  be  detected  instantly  by  any  one  who  has  the  requisite  experi- 
ence."— Phillipson,  "Harness,"  p.  17. 

THE    CHARACTER    OF    HARNESS. 

If  the  reader  is  about  to  set  up  a  turn-out  of  a  distinctive 
type,  and  intends  concentrating  his  or  her  efforts  on  a  special 
equipage,  the  harness  should  be  chosen  with  as  much  regard 
to  its  appropriateness  and  to  what  is  considered  appropriate 
by  competent  judges,  as  though  the  owner  intended  to  com- 
pete in  an  appointment  class  at  a  horse  show.  Why  ?  It  is 
certainly  advisable  under  any  conditions  to  have  what  is 
right,  and  it  is  no  more  expensive  at  the  outset. 

There  are  a  great  many  more  differences  in  details  than 


164  THE  FURNITURE. 

are  recognized  by  the  average  owner,  but  if  he  interest  him- 
self in  such  matters  the  influence  of  a  buckle  that  is  too 
large  or  too  small  and  other  such  details  on  the  symmetry 
of  the  harness  soon  become  evident.  The  intending  buyer 
of  one  or  more  sets  of  harness  is  advised  to  go  to  some 
dealer  in  first-class  harness  at  whose  establishment,  even  if 
he  cannot  afford  to  purchase,  he  will  learn  sufficient  to  guide 
him  in  making  the  best  choice  available  elsewhere  of  less 
finished  but  more  moderate  priced  goods. 

THE    FURNITURE. 

The  furniture,  i.  e.,  the  metal  mountings,  buckles,  etc., 
is  usually  brass  or  silver  plated;  but  if  the  latter  form  is 
selected  the  purchaser  should  demand  that  the  plating  be 
heavy  and  that  the  material  under  it  be  of  white  metal. 
Nickel  plated  furniture  is  sometimes  used,  but  it  is  open  to 
the  objection  of  the  shabby  appearance  presented  when  the 
nickel  wears  off  in  parts,  and  the  impossibility  of  remedy- 
ing the  evil  short  of  replating.  Solid  brass  or  silver  plate 
over  white  metal  will  wear  longer  than  the  leather  of  the 
harness,  and  all  parts  will  have  the  same  surface,  no  matter 
how  far  the  material  is  worn  down.  The  hames,  owing  to 
the  strength  required,  have  to  be  made  of  wrought  iron 
and  consequently  are  plated.  Metal  trimmings  should  not 
be  used  on  the  nose-band,  bearing-rein,  drop-straps  or  on 
other  parts  for  purely  ornamental  purposes.  The  kidney- 
link  and  kidney-link  ring  when  used  should  be  prefer- 
ably of  steel,  as  there  must  be  no  question  as  to  their 
strength.  In  appointment  classes  these  parts  of  pair-horse 
harness  are  plated  to  match  the  other  furniture,  but  this  is 
purely  a  refinement  to  please  the  eye. 


THE  FURNITURE— MONOGRAMS. 


165 


All  the  mountings  should  be  plain,  z.  *.,  neither  twisted 
nor  fluted,  either  of  which  forms  is  in  bad  taste.  Which- 
ever type  of  buckle,  square  (see  A,  Fig.  51),  or  horseshoe 
(see  B,  Fig.  51),  is  used  on  one  part  of  the  harness  should 
be  used  throughout.  The  single  buckle  (see  B,  Fig.  52)  is 
generally  used  in  preference  to  the  bar  or  double  buckle 
(see  A,  Fig.  52). 

"  In  the  first  place,  then,  I  hold  all  and  every  sort  of  finery  and  frippery 
about  horses  to  be  the  worst  possible  taste.  I  do  not  call  the  massive  har- 
ness of  the  horses  of  the  sovereign  finery  —  that  is  a  part  of  a  gorgeous 
pageant  befitting  royalty  on  state  occasions ;  so  are  a  state  carriage,  state 
harness,  and  state  liveries,  quite  in  character  with  a  nobleman  going  to 
court;  but  on  ordinary  occasions,  nothing  bespeaks  bad  taste  more  than 
finery,  and  particularly  so  in  regard  to  horse  equipments.  Such  should  ever 
be  in  accordance  with  circumstances ;  for  instance,  highly  and  heavily  orna- 
mented harness,  brass  or  plated,  would  be  execrable  taste  if  exhibited  by  a 
lady  driving  her  phaeton,  so  would  be  black  with  a  coachman  wearing  his 
wig."  —  Charles  Brindley,  "  Practical  Horsemanship"  p.  100. 

MONOGRAMS,    ETC. 

Monograms,  initial  letters,  crests  or  badges  are  only 
placed  on  the  rosettes,  face-piece  and  winkers  of  the  bridle, 


166  THE    COLOR. 

on  the  frog  of  the  breast-plate  or  of  the  standing  martin- 
gale, on  the  skirts  of  the  saddle  below  the  terrets,  on  the 
trace-bearers,  and  on  the  fillet-straps  if  used.  Monograms 
should  occupy  a  space  of  an  inch  and  a  half  or  less  in  diame- 
ter, and  for  a  badge  an  inch  is  sufficient.  By  limiting  the 
size  to  these  dimensions  they  not  only  present  a  more 
modest  and  neater  appearance,  but  are  more  economical,  as 
a  uniform  size  may  be  used  for  such  parts  of  the  harness  as 
has  been  specified. 

The  cost  of  a  three-letter  monogram  is  from  $2  to  $3.50. 
The  cost  of  an  initial  letter  monogram  is  from  50  cents  to  $1. 
The  cost  of  a  badge  applied  to  the  harness  is  from  $2  to  $3.50. 
The  cost  for  applying  to  harness  varies  from  25  cents  to  50  cents. 

THE   COLOR. 

The  type  of  carriage  the  reader  has  bought  or  is  about  to 
buy  should  determine  the  character  of  the  harness.  If  the  ve- 
hicle is  one  limited  to  use  in  the  city,  the  color  of  the  leather 
must  be  black ;  and,  in  fact,  unless  a  carriage  is  a  distinctly 
surburban  or  country  conveyance,  and  the  owner's  preference 
strongly  in  favor  of  russet,  the  author's  advice  is  to  buy  black 
harness.  The  argument  in  favor  of  this  selection  is  that  the 
future  purchase  of  other  vehicles  is  likely  to  occur,  for  which 
russet  harness  is  inappropriate,  or  a  change  of  residence  to 
the  city  may  cause  the  same  objection  to  arise.  Black  harness, 
if  properly  made,  is  always  appropriate  for  all  forms  of  one  or 
two  horse  carriages,  whereas  the  use  of  russet  is  very  lim- 
ited. If  properly  taken  care  of  the  latter  requires  as  much 
care  and  labor  as  the  former,  and  any  injury,  such  as  a  scratch 
or  a  stain,  etc.,  is  less  readily  hidden.  The  carriages  to 
which  the  author  advises  the  use  of  russet  harness  to  be  con- 


THE   STYLE,    WEIGHT  AND   FITTING. 


167 


fined  are,  the  run-about,  lady's  phaeton,  buckboard,  station 
wagon  and  two-wheeled  vehicles  of  a  simple  character. 

THE    LINING,  STITCHING,  KEEPERS,  ETC. 

In  all  first-class  harness  the  various  parts  should  be 
double  leather  lined. 

The  stitching  should  be  free  from  scrolls  or  fancy  designs. 
When  the  furniture  is  brass,  yellow  thread  is  sometimes  em- 
ployed for  the  patent  leather  parts  and  white  when  the  furni- 
ture is  silver  plated.  The  writer's  preference  is  for  black 
stitching,  as  it  presents  a  neater  appearance. 


B 

FIG.    55. 

Keepers  or  loops  are  the  small  strips  of  leather  which 
retain  the  points  or  ends  of  straps  in  place.  Those  which  are 
sewed  to  the  harness  are  either  made  in  what  are  termed 
single  loops  (see  B,  Fig.  53)  or  in  box  loops  (see  A,  Fig.  53). 
The  former  are  preferable.  Whichever  design  of  stitching 
or  keeper  is  used  in  one  part  should  be  used  throughout. 
Metal  loops  should  not  be  used. 

THE    STYLE,  WEIGHT    AND    FITTING. 

The  style  of  the  harness  will  be  determined  by  the  type 
of  vehicle  with  which  it  is  to  be  used,  and  the  differences  in 
this  respect  are  described  under  the  head  of  Brougham  Har- 
ness, etc.,  on  pp.  202-205. 


168 


THE  FITTING,   DIRECTIONS. 


"  It  is  in  connection  with  pair-horse  harness  for  T-Cart,  a  Victoria,  or 
other  light  carriage,  especially  if  a  lady  is  to  drive,  that  the  mistakes  often 
begin.  In  harness  of  this  description  all  that  is  required  is  sufficient  strength 
combined  with  perfect  simplicity  and  neatness."  —  " Driving"  Badminton, 
p.  98- 


FIG.    54. 
DIRECTIONS. 

Girth  measure,  around  horse,  C.  Crupper  measure,  D  to  D.  Bridle 
measure,  from  side  of  mouth  to  centre  of  head  between  ears ;  net  length 
around  nose  at  B.  This,  with  the  height,  weight  and  general  stamp  of  horse, 
together  with  style  of  vehicle  for  which  harness  is  intended,  is  all  that  is 
necessary. 


THE  BRIDLE. 


169 


It  is  necessary  to  call  attention  to  the  fact  that  all  parts 
of  a  harness  should  fit  the  horse  perfectly  so  that  there  will 
be  no  friction  or  bulging  and  so  that  when  in  use  the  various 
parts  will  fulfil  to  a  nicety  all  their  requirements.  There 
must  be  no  long  points  or  ends  dangling  from  the  loops, 
no  shifting  of  the  parts  when  once  in  place. 


Crown-piece. 
Bearing-rein  drop-strap. 
Bearing-rein  drop. 
Throat-latch. 
Point  strap  for  full  bear- 
ing-rein. 
Cheek-piece. 
Winker- stay. 
Face-piece. 
Winker. 

Nose-band.  • 

Front. 


THE    BRIDLE. 


H 

G 
K 

A 
B 
C 
D 

\ 

E 

I 

F 

G 

H 

I 

h-J 

J 

K 

FIG.    55, 


THE  CROWN-PIECE  is  about  one  and  a  half  inches  wide 
and  twenty-four  inches  long,  measured  from  the  ends  of  the 
point  strap.  When  used  with  a  full  bearing-rein  it  should 
have  metal  D's  attached  by  narrow  strips  of  leather  called 
chapes  and  an  additional  point  strap  sewed  to  the  under  side 
between  the  point  straps  for  the  throat-latch  and  the  cheek- 
piece. 

THE  BEARING-REIN  DROP-STRAPS  measure  about  six 
inches  in  length  from  the  D  on  the  crown-piece  to  the  bearing- 
rein  drop,  and  three-quarters  of  an  inch  wide.  They  are 
made  preferably  of  a  piece  of  leather,  the  point  of  which  is 
passed  through  the  eye  of  the  bearing-rein  drop,  then  through 
a  loop  on  the  strap  near  the  drop,  and  another  one  farther 


170  THE  BRIDLE. 

up,  the  point  is  then  run  through  the  D  on  the  crown-piece 
from  the  under  side  and  through  the  keeper  near  the  drop. 
The  point  is  fastened  to  the  buckle  end  of  the  strap  by  a 
buckle  and  held  in  place  by  a  keeper  behind  the  buckle. 
When  the  straps  are  used  for  the  drops  of  a  plain  bearing- 
rein  they  are  made  of  single,  short  pieces  of  leather  sewed 
to  the  throat-latch  under  the  buckles  of  the  latter  and  the 
drops  are  sewed  into  the  other  end  of  the  strap.  When  the 
plain  bearing-rein  is  used,  or  the  bearing-rein  is  omitted, 
the  straps  and  drops  from  the  crown-piece  should  be  removed. 

THE  BEARING-REIN  DROPS  are  metal  loops  which  carry  the 
bearing-rein.  For  use  with  the  plain  bearing-rein  they  are 
made  either  oval  or  balloon  shaped  and  should  be  attached 
to  the  throat-latch  and  not  to  the  straps  from  the  crown- 
piece.  When  used  with  the  full  bearing-rein  they  are  pref- 
erably balloon  shaped  and  suspended  from  the  crown-piece 
in  single  harness,  and  of  a  double  ring  pattern  and  sus- 
pended from  the  crown-piece  in  pair-horse  harness. 

THE  FACE-PIECE  consists  of  a  pear-shaped  piece  of  leather 
about  two  inches  and  a  quarter  long  and  an  inch  and  a  half 
wide.  At  the  upper  or  smaller  end  it  gradually  narrows 
down  to  a  strap,  about  three-quarters  of  an  inch  wide  and 
passes  through  a  loop  on  the  under  side  of  the  front  to  the 
centre  of  the  crown-piece,  where  it  is  held  by  a  buckle  and 
keeper.  The  full  length  of  the  face-piece  from  the  point 
end  to  the  bottom  of  the  frog  is  about  eleven  and  a  half 
inches. 

THE  FRONT  OR  BROW-BAND  measures  about  seventeen 
inches  in  length  and  one  and  a  quarter  inches  in  width. 
The  front  terminates  in  loops  at  both  ends  and  has  a  loop 
on  the  under  side  in  the  centre  which  retains  the  face-piece 


FRONTS  AND  HOUSINGS. 


171 


FIG.    58. 


FIG.    59. 


172 


ROSETTES. 


FIG.  56, 


FIG.    57, 


THE  BRIDLE.  173 

in  place.  Fronts  or  brow-bands,  in  consequence  of  being 
too  short,  often  chafe  the  horses'  ears.  Fronts  may  be 
obtained  that  are  made  with  a  heavy  rim  of  leather  at  the 
top  and  bottom,  forming  a  groove  into  which  the  metal 
part  may  be  laid,  and  the  ends  held  by  flat  hooks.  When 
the  front  is  attached  to  the  rosettes,  the  metal  part  is  firmly 
held  in  place.  This  form  has  the  advantage  of  allowing 
the  metal  part  to  be  cleaned  separately,  whereas  when  it  is 
sewed  on,  as  is  customary,  the  "  compo  "  and  dirt  become 
imbedded  behind  the  metal.  Fronts  consist  of  a  piece  of 
leather,  plain  or  in  colors,  but  more  generally  of  plain 
leather,  over  this  is  stretched  a  metal  chain  or  band,  or  a  set 
of  links  of  the  same  metal  as  that  of  the  other  furniture. 
Enamelled  fronts  do  not  require  so  much  time  to  clean, 
and  if  dark  colored  are  in  good  form  for  all  simple  harness. 
Colored  silk  fronts,  though  coming  into  vogue  again,  are 
objectionable:  first,  because  they  soon  become  soiled  in  clean- 
ing the  leather  parts ;  and  secondly,  because  they  are  on  the 
showy  order.  Fronts,  rosettes  and  housings  should  always 
correspond,  and  be  of  the  same  color  as  the  carriage  and 
livery. 

ROSETTES  (see  Figs.  56  and  57)  are  made  of  metal,  leather 
or  ribbon.  The  metal  ones  are  usually  plain,  flat  disks,  meas- 
uring about  two  inches  and  a  half  in  diameter,  and  corre- 
sponding with  the  other  furniture.  They  may  be  orna- 
mented with  the  monogram,  initial  letter  or  badge  of  the 
owner.  When  made  of  leather  the  rosette  is  usually  con- 
ical in  shape,  measuring  about  three  inches  and  a  half  at  the 
base  and  ending  off  in  a  button.  Sometimes  loops  of  leather 
fall  four  or  five  inches  from  the  base.  They  are  composed 
of  the  same  color  or  colors  as  are  used  for  the  fronts.  Rib- 


174 


THE  BRIDLE. 


bon  rosettes  are  composed  of  interwoven  ribbon  in  a  con- 
ical form  and  have  pendent  bows  of  ribbon  from  three  to 
five  inches  long.  The  material  of  which  the  fronts  and  ro- 
settes are  made  should  always  correspond.  Colored  rosettes 
should  be  chosen  to  harmonize  with  the  body  color  of  a 
carnage  and  with  the  livery,  except  when  the  latter  is  drab. 
If  the  color  is  of  some  brilliant  shade,  the  color  of  the 
rosettes  may  be  blended  with  a  darker  tone.  All  red  pad- 
cloths  would  be  rather  glaring;  under  such  circumstances  it 
would  be  advisable  that  the  brighter  color  should  be  subdued 
by  the  introduction  of  a  more  sombre  hue,  such  as  red  and 
black  alternated,  etc.  Although  these  housings  are  used 
with  the  panel-boot  victoria,  the  writer 
considers  that  any  turn-out  is  more  re- 
fined by  the  omission  of  these  articles. 

FLOWER  ROSETTES  (see  Fig.  60). 
Sprays  of  these  are  stuck  through  the 
back  of  the  rosettes  of  the  bridle  and 
one  is  usually  worn  in  the  buttonhole 
of  the  coachman.  They  were  at  one 
time  considered  very  smart,  but  their 
popularity  with  the  drivers  of  public 
conveyances  resulted  in  their  being 
discarded  by  private  owners,  and  they 
are  rarely  seen  thus  used.  The  writer 
is  told,  on  good  authority,  that  their 
popularity  is  being  revived  in  London 
at  the  present  time,  but  with  the  omis- 
sion of  their  use  in  the  livery. 

THE  CHEEK-PIECES  are  about  eight 
FIG.  60.  and  a  half  inches  long,  measured  from 


H     ^ 
O     O 
- 


2     Jn 

2     « 


THE  BRIDLE.  175 

the  top  of  the  winker  to  the  buckle  at  the  lower  end,  and 
three-quarters  of  an  inch  wide.  The  buckles  at  the  ends  are 
of  the  single  pattern,  and  back  of  each  is  placed  two 
keepers,  the  upper  set  to  receive  the  point-strap  from 
the  crown-piece,  and  the  lower  two  to  hold  the  point- 
strap  of  the  cheek-piece  after  it  has  been  passed  through 
the  eye  of  the  bit  and  buckled.  As  the  shape  and  size  of 
horses'  heads  vary,  the  measurement  for  the  length  of  the 
cheek-pieces  should  be  taken.  Although  the  cheek-pieces 
are  adjustable,  the  proper  fitting  of  this  part  of  the  harness 
enables  the  winkers  and  bit  to  be  correctly  placed,  without 
producing  the  unsightly  appearance  of  the  point-straps  ex- 
tending far  beyond  the  end  keepers,  or  of  the  latter  being 
only  half  filled.  The  buckles  which  attach  the  cheek-pieces 
to  the  crown-piece  should  be  above  the  top  line  of  the  wink- 
ers, so  as  to  permit  greater  play  and  allow  the  winkers  to 
adjust  themselves  comfortably  to  the  eye  bones. 

THE  WINKERS  measure  about  six  and  a  half  inches  in 
length  and  five  and  a  half  inches  in  width.  They  are  sewed 
to  the  cheek-pieces  and  supported  by  narrow  strips  of  leather 
called  winker-stays  which  are  attached  to  the  centre  of  the 
crown-piece  under  the  face-piece  by  a  buckle.  These  straps 
are  about  twelve  inches  long  and  five-eighths  of  an  inch 
wide. 

THE  THROAT-LATCH  is  about  twenty-one  inches  long  and 
three-quarters  of  an  inch  wide.  It  should  have  buckles  at 
both  ends  and  two  keepers  behind  each  buckle  to  hold  the 
ends  of  the  point-straps  of  the  crown-piece  in  place.  The 
throat-latch  should  have  bearing-rein  drops  attached  when 
the  plain  bearing-rein  is  used,  but  none  when  the  full  bear- 
ing-rein is  employed. 


176  THE  BRIDLE. 

THE  NOSE- BAND  measures  in  length  about  thirty  inches 
from  the  buckle  to  the  end  of  the  point,  and  in  width  an 
inch  and  an  eighth  in  front  and  half  an  inch  under  the  chin. 
It  should  be  preferably  a  plain  piece  of  leather  without  any 
metal  mounts.  The  nose-band  should  be  attached  in  such 
a  manner  that  it  can  be  drawn  taut  around  the  nose.  The 
nose-band  is  generally  attached  to  the  cheek-pieces  for  the 
purpose  of  holding  it  in  place,  but  when  thus  made  it  is  of 
no  service  in  keeping  the  horse's  mouth  closed  so  that  the 
bit  can  act  effectively  on  a  puller.  The  nose-band  should 
pass  freely  between  the  points  of  the  cheek-pieces,  or  loops 
on  the  cheek-pieces.  Howlett,  the  well-known  English  whip, 
in  his  book,  "  Driving  Lessons,"  p.  68,  says : 

"  Many  people  do  not  know  the  use  of  a  nose-band.  It  is  indispensa- 
ble for  shutting  the  horse's  mouth  when  you  use  the  big  high  port  bit.  The 
nose-band  should  be  short  enough  to  be  able,  in  case  of  need,  to  entirely 
shut  the  horse's  mouth,  which  renders  useless  the  strap  generally  used  for 
that  purpose.  The  place  for  the  nose-band  is  just  above  the  bit.  Nearly 
all  harness  makers  make  their  nose-bands  too  long,  particularly  in  the  buckle 
end  under  the  jaw." 

THE  BEARING-REIN  has  always  been  a  subject  of  much 
dispute,  but  under  certain  conditions  it  is  necessary.  For 
brougham,  victoria  and  coach  appointment  classes,  the  full 
bearing-rein  is  called  for.  The  bearing-rein  for  heavy  car- 
riage horses  is  made  in  two  forms,  plain  and  full.  The  plain 
(see  A,  Fig.  61)  consists  of  a  round  piece  of  leather  attached  to 
the  bit  or  bridoon  with  billets  and  passed  through  the  bearing- 
rein  drop  and  thence  to  the  bearing-rein  hook  on  the  saddle 
or  pad.  About  halfway  between  the  bit  and  the  saddle  the 
bearing-rein  is  jointed  with  a  metal  loop.  That  part  which 
passes  through  the  bearing-rein  drop  is  made  of  round  leather, 


THE    COLLAR. 


Ill 


while  the  other  is  flat  and  has  a  buckle  by  which  its  length 
is  adjusted.  Near  the  end  is  a  leather  loop  for  the  purpose 
of  tightening  the  bearing-rein  against  the  bearing- rein  hook. 
The  full  bearing-rein  (see  B,  Fig.  61)  is  similar  to  the  plain,  but 
differs  from  the  latter  in  the  round  part  being  sufficiently 
longer  to  allow  its  being  passed  through  the  ring  or  pulley  of 
the  bridoon  and  attached  with  a  buckle  to  a  point  of  the  crown- 
piece.  The  length  of  the  plain  bearing-rein  is  about  forty-four 
.inches  ;  the  diameter  of  the  round  section  is  about  three- 


FIG. 


eighths  of  an  inch,  and  that  of  the  flat  part  three-quarters  of 
an  inch.  The  full  bearing-rein  measures  about  fifty-one 
inches,  the  length  of  the  round  section  is  about  twenty-four 
inches,  and  the  diameter  is  about  three-eighths  of  an  inch; 
the  width  of  the  flat  part  is  about  three-quarters  of  an  inch. 

THE    COLLAR. 

THE  HAME  COLLAR  is  of  two  designs.  The  type  most 
commonly  met  with  is  Kay's  pattern,  in  which  the  apex  of 
the  opening  is  V  shaped  and  the  bottom  part  is  in  the  form 


178 


THE    COLLAR. 


K 

L 
M 

N 
O 
P 

Q 

R 
S 
T 


Hame-strap. 
Eye  of  hame. 
Hame-terret. 
Hame. 

Hame-draught. 
Hame- tug. 
Clip. 

Trace-buckle. 
Kidney  Link. 
Rim  of  collar. 


FIG.  62. 

of  the  letter  U.  As  the  outlines  formed  by  this  opening  do 
not  correspond  with  those  of  the  horse's  neck,  it  does  not  fit 
snugly,  although  it  may  bear  evenly  enough  to  wear  without 
producing  any  ill  effects.  The  other  style  is  what  is  known 
as  the  pointed  throat,  or  pipe  collar.  This  is  made  after  the 


FIG.  63. 

WELL   SHAPED. 


FIG.  64. 
BADLY  SHAPED. 


THE    COLLAR.  179 

natural  lines  of  the  horse's  neck,  and  by  extending  the  bot- 
tom part  of  the  opening  in  a  V  shape,  all  risk  of  pressure  on 
the  windpipe  is  avoided.  Hames  made  to  fit  these  collars 
will  not  fit  the  Kay  design. 


FIG.  65. 

THE  SHAPE  of  the  hame  collar  is  generally  understood  to 
define  its  outlines,  which  are  limited  to  two,  straight  and 
shaped ;  the  former  being  the  design  used  for  road-coach 
harness  or  that  of  a  sporting  or  semi-sporting  nature,  while  the 
latter  is  characteristic  of  the  more  finished  forms  of  brougham, 
victoria  or  other  dressy  types.  The  difference  can  be  ob- 
served by  viewing  the  collar  from  the  side  :  the  straight  collar, 
it  will  be  noticed,  is  made  in  an  almost  perpendicular  line ; 
the  shaped  collar  is  curved  in  the  shape  of  the  middle  section 
of  a  letter  S. 

THE  FINISH  is  usually  of  patent  leather  on  the  outside  and 
black  leather  on  the  inside,  but  the  inner  lining  is  sometimes 


180 


THE    COLLAR. 


of  the  natural  color,  neat's  leather.  In  a  distinctly  sporting 
type  of  harness,  such  as  a  road-coach  or  a  tandem  set,  the 
coljar  is  sometimes  basil  faced,  i.  e.,  the  brown  lining  of  the 
inside  is  carried  out  over  the  rim  of  the  collar  and  united 
under  the  hames  with  the  black  leather.  When  the  collar  is 
thus  finished  the  saddle  of  the  harness  should  be  made  to 
correspond. 

STRAW  (see  Fig.  65)  AND  CANVAS  COLLARS.  Both  of  these 
forms  of  hame  collars  are  falling  into  disuse.  The  straw 
collar  has  the  merit,  however,  of  adjusting  itself  nicely  to 
the  horse's  neck,  but  is  very  perishable  and  becomes  easily 
soiled.  It  may  be  used  with  russet  harness  for  the  sporting 
type  of  country  vehicles.  The  white  canvas-covered  collar 
has  no  special  advantages.  Owing  to  its  striking  contrast 
with  the  color  of  the  average  horse,  the  harness  and  vehicle, 
it  is  decidedly  on  the  flashy  order. 

BREAST  COLLARS  are  made 
of  two  strips  of  leather :  one,  a 
rather  broad  and  heavy  piece 
carrying  the  trace  buckles, 
passes  around  the  chest  of  the 
horse;  the  other  strap  extends 
over  the  withers  and  buckles 
to  the  breast-piece  which  it 
supports.  When  the  breast  col- 
lar is  used  for  double  harness 
a  rod  serving  as  a  kidney-link 
FIG.  66.  is  fastened  on  the  front  of  the 

breast-piece,  and  is  supported 

by  leather  stays  extending  from  the  sides  of  the  bar  to  a 
point  near  the  withers  on  the  shoulder-piece.  The  breast- 


THE    COLLAR. 


piece  should  be  made  so  that  it  will  fall  just  below  the 
junction  of  the  windpipe  with  the  breast. 

In  fitting  no  time  or  care  should 
be  spared,  as  a  badly  fitting  collar 
will  be  the  source  of  constant  an- 
noyance and  possibly  injury  to  the 
horse.  If  it  is  properly  attended 
to,  the  shoulders  will  not  become 
galled  nor  the  breathing  of  the 
horse  be  obstructed ;  but  unless 
these  precautions  are  taken  the 
comfort  and  action  of  the  horse  in 
all  likelihood  will  be  interfered  with 
to  the  extent  of  rendering  his  ser- 
vice unsatisfactory  and  uncertain. 

"  Collars  require  the  greatest  attention 
and  nicety  in  fitting,  for  they  must  not  only 
fit  well,  but  exactly ;  if  too  long,  they  are 

as  bad  as  if  they  were  too  short,  too  wide,  or  too  narrow ;  in  each  case  sore 
shoulders  are  certainties.  It  follows,  therefore,  that  where  more  horses  than 
one  are  kept,  each  should  have  its  own  collar  which  should  be  distinctly 
marked  inside,  so  as  to  preclude  the  possibility  of  mistake."  —  "Driving," 
Badminton,  p.  pj. 

Regarding  the  fitting  of  the  collar  another  authority  says : 

"Placing  the  horse's  head  in  the  position  in  which  it  is  carried  in  har- 
ness, I  take  the  collar  in  both  hands  and  force  it  back  on  the  shoulders,  when, 
if  it  bears  on  all  parts  of  the  shoulders  and  there  is  room  for  inserting  my 
fingers  between  it  and  the  horse's  windpipe,  I  regard  it  as  a  good  fit." 

The  art  of  properly  fitting  a  collar  is  one  which  few,  even 
of  the  good  harness  makers,  seem  to  possess,  and  a  half  dozen 
or  more  collars  should  be  tried  before  one  is  selected.  In 


FIG.  67. 


182 


THE   HAMES. 


measuring  for  the  length  of  the  opening  in  the  collar  the  end 
of  the  tape  should  be  held  at  the  point  of  the  withers  and 
carried  down  in  a  line  with  the  slope  of  the  shoulder  to  the 
windpipe  :  the  average  length  of  this  line  is  about  twenty- 
two  inches.  The  width  is  usually  determined  by  adding  or 
deducting  the  number  of  inches  that  a  sample  collar  is  too 
wide  or  too  narrow.  In  the  event  of  a  collar  not  being  at 
hand,  a  pair  of  calipers  may  be  made  of  stiff  wire  and  the 
points  stretched  to  each  side  of  the  neck.  The  distance 
between  the  points  can  then  be  taken. 


B 


FIG.    68. 
THE    HAMES. 

THE  HAMES  are  bars  made  of  forged  iron  and  are  plated 
either  with  silver  or  brass.  They  should  have  a  smooth, 
oval  surface.  The  hames  are  inserted  in  the  groove  of  the 
collar  and  receive  the  tension  of  the  draught  in  drawing  the 


THE  KIDNEY-LINK.  183 

vehicle ;  and  in  pair-horse  harness  also  the  strain  of  stop- 
ping the  carriage.  At  the  upper  ends  are  eyes  for  the  re- 
ception of  the  leather  hame-strap,  which  holds  the  hames 
tightly  in  place  at  the  top  after  they  have  been  adjusted. 
When  the  hames  are  in  place  the  eyes  should  come  within 
about  three  inches  of  each  other.  About  two  inches  and  a 
half  below  these  eyes  are  welded  the  hame-terrets  or  rings 
through  which  the  reins  pass.  The  terrets  may  be  either 
upright  or  jointed  so  as  to  lie  flat  against  the  collar.  About 
fourteen  inches  below  the  hame-terrets  the  draughts  which 
carry  the  hame-tug  are  welded  on. 

The  shape  of  the  draught  at  the  point  where  it  joins  the 
hames  differs,  and  each  shape  is  designated  by  a  special 
name  such  as  finger  (A,  Fig.  68),  scroll  (B,  Fig.  68),  anchor 
(C,  Fig.  68),  anchor  ball  and  ring  draught  (D,  Fig.  68),  etc. 
For  single  harness  the  bottom  ends  of  the  hames  are  turned 
backward,  forming  hooks  on  which  the  hame-chain,  which 
holds  the  hames  together  at  the  bottom,  is  fastened.  In  pair- 
horse  harness  the  bottom  ends  of  the  hames  are  formed  into 
eyes  to  receive  the  kidney-link.  The  bottom  ends  of  the 
hames  should  come  within  about  six  inches  of  meeting. 

THE    KIDNEY-LINK. 

KIDNEY-LINKS  are  of  two 
forms,  the  open  and  the  jointed. 
The  former  is  that  commonly 
employed  and  is  made  of  one 
solid  piece  of  steel,  the  ends  of 
which  do  not  meet;  the  lat-  FIG-  69. 

ter  is  made  very  much  the  same,  but  at  one  end  there  is 
hinged  a  short  section  which  when  closed  down  fits  into  a 


184  THE  HAME-TUG. 

groove  in  the  other  end  and  fills  up  the  opening.  (See 
Fig.  69.)  As  originally  made  it  was  in  one  piece  with  the 
ends  welded  together  after  having  been  passed  through  the 
eyes  of  the  hames.  As  this  form  did  not  permit  the  chang- 
ing of  the  link  for  a  longer  or  shorter  one,  the  hinged  pat- 
tern was  introduced.  The  closed  or  hinged  kidney-link  is 
the  one  generally  used  for  pair-horse  harness  in  appointment 
classes  at  horse  shows,  and  is  advocated  for  road-coach 
work  because  the  billet  of  the  breast-plate  can  be  buckled 
around  the  inside  of  the  collar  and  through  the  kidney-link, 
thus  securing  the  two  together. 

THE  HAME-TUG  consists  of  a  heavy  piece  of  leather, 
carrying  the  trace-buckle  and  loops,  which  is  attached  to  the 
hames  by  a  piece  of  iron  shaped  somewhat  like  a  hasp.  The 
metal  is  rounded  at  the  point  where  it  is  bent  over  and 
forms  an  eye  which  fits  into  the  draft  eye  of  the  hames. 
The  clips  are  usually  placed  over  the  outside  piece  of  leather 
in  front  and  under  the  leather  at  the  back.  They  are  held 
in  place  by  rivets,  the  heads  of  which  are  either  exposed  or 
covered  by  the  leather.  When  the  clips  or  rivets  are  placed 
on  the  outside  they  should  be  plated  to  match  the  other  fur- 
niture. The  clip  on  the  hame-tug  of  single  harness  is  about 
three  inches  long,  half  an  inch  wide  and  is  fastened  with 
two  rivets.  For  pair-horse  harness  the  clip  is  about  four 
inches  and  a  half  long,  half  an  inch  wide  and  fastened  with 
three  rivets.  The  leather  part  of  the  hame-tug  carries  the 
trace-buckle  and  the  keepers  which  retain  the  point  of  the 
trace  in  place.  For  single  harness  there  are  three  keepers 
and  for  pair-horse  harness  there  are  four.  Under  the  hame- 
tug  there  is  a  leather  guard  extending  a  quarter  of  an  inch 
beyond  the  three  sides  of  the  buckle,  and  under  the  buckle 


1 1 


THE  SADDLE.  185 

a  hole  is  cut  to  admit  the  trace.  In  single  harness  the 
hame-tug  is  made  about  one  foot  long  from  the  end  of  the 
trace-buckle  to  the  end  of  the  eye  of  the  clip,  so  that  the 
trace-buckles  fall  short  of  the  saddle.  In  pair-horse  harness 
the  hame-tug  is  made  according  to  the  size  of  the  horse. 
About  nineteen  inches  is  the  average  length.  The  trace- 
buckle  is  attached  to  the  saddle  by  means  of  a  tug-strap 
which  should  lie  squarely  in  line  with  the  centre  of  the 
saddle.  As  the  length  of  the  hame-tug  cannot  be  adjusted, 
it  follows  that  any  miscalculation  must  be  counteracted  by 
changing  the  position  of  the  saddle,  which  is  wrong  in 
principle. 

The  trace-buckle  in  pair-horse  harness  is  usually  made 
with  a  crescent  shaped  metal  loop  on  the  upper  and  under 
side.  To  the  top  loop  the  buckle  end  of  the  tug-strap  is 
sewed,  and  to  the  bottom  one  is  attached  the  point-strap, 
which  fastens  into  the  buckle  of  the  trace-girth.  For  road- 
coach  harness  the  metal  loops  of  the  trace-buckle  are  dis- 
pensed with  and  the  tug-straps  are  looped  around  the  sides 
of  the  buckles  instead  of  being  sewed  in.  This  latter  form 
is  called  the  Newmarket  tug. 

THE    SADDLE. 

THE  SADDLE  or  PAD  (see  Fig.  70)  should  be  fitted  to  the 
horse's  back.  This  is  of  especial  importance  when  the  saddle 
is  for  a  "two-wheeler."  The  pad-girth  should  be  so  propor- 
tioned that  the  point  of  the  strap  will  not  be  left  dangling  or 
the  loops  remain  all  or  partly  empty  when  the  saddle  is  in  place 
on  the  horse.  The  outlines  should  be  preferably  straight, 
not  curved,  and  the  surface  free  from  any  fancy  designs  in 
stitching.  The  flap  and  skirt  of  the  saddle  are  generally 


186 


THE   SADDLE. 


C 


A 


— C 


FIG.    70. 

A  Bearing-rein  post. 

B  Pad-terret. 

C  Crupper-strap  loop. 

D  Skirt. 

E  Tug- strap. 

F  Pad. 

G  Tug. 

H  Tug-girth. 


FIG.  71. 

A  Bearing-rein  hook. 

B  Loop  of  tug- point  strap. 

C  Crupper-strap  loop. 

D  Point  of  tug-strap. 

E  Buckle  end  of  tug- strap. 

F  Loop  of  trace-buckle. 

G  Point  of  trace- girth. 

H  Point  of  pad-girth. 

I  Buckle  end  of  pad- girth. 


covered  with  patent  leather.  The  inner  side  should  be  lined 
with  black  leather  (unless  the  harness  is  russet),  which,  though 
it  may  feel  hard,  will  cause  fewer  sore  backs  than  flannel  or 
felt.  These  materials  when  hardened  with  dried  sweat  cut  like 
a  knife.  At  one  side  of  the  saddle  the  end  of  the  pad-girth 


THE   SADDLE  FOR   SINGLE  HARNESS.  187 

is  sewed  between  the  flaps  and  the  lining.  On  the  other 
side  of  the  saddle  a  point-strap  is  similarly  attached  and 
fastened  into  the  buckle  of  the  pad-girth. 

In  the  centre  of  the  pad  a  bearing-rein  hook  or  post 
is  bolted.  A  few  inches  from  this  on  both  sides  the  pad- 
terrets  are  screwed  into  plates  inserted  in  the  tree  of  the 
saddle,  and  consequently  can  be  unscrewed  whenever  desired. 
At  the  back  of  the  pad,  in  the  centre,  there  is  a  D  for  at- 
taching the  crupper-strap.  This  D  may  be  of  the  same  metal 
as  the  other  mounts,  or  black  enamelled  or  covered  with 
leather. 

THE    SADDLE    FOR    SINGLE    HARNESS. 

THE  SADDLE  of  a  brougham  harness  is  about  six  inches 
wide,  for  a  victoria  a  heavy  saddle  is  five  inches,  and  a  light 
one  three  inches  wide.  A  tug-strap  is  sewed  under  the 
skirt  of  the  pad  when  intended  for  use  with  a  four-wheeled 
vehicle.  The  ends  of  the  strap  pass  through  the  buckle 
and  keepers  of  the  tug  and  are  joined  together  by  a  tug- 
girth.  In  brougham  or  victoria  harness  the  French  tug  is 
used  and  a  metal  loop  is  fastened  to  the  lower  part  of  the 
flap,  for  the  purpose  of  holding  the  shafts  snugly  against 
the  saddle.  When  the  saddle  is  intended  for  use  with  a  two- 
wheeled  vehicle  the  tug-strap*  should  be  in  one  piece  and 
pass  freely  through  a  groove  made  in  the  tree  of  the  saddle. 
The  pad-girth  should  be  a  flat,  broad  strap,  with  a  swell 
near  the  end,  about  six  inches  wide  and  provided  with  a 
leather  loop  by  which  the  tug-girth  is  held  in  place.  Unless 
the  tug-strap  can  play  freely  through  the  opening  in  the 

*  A  back-strap  is  the  name  usually  applied  to  this  part  of  a  harness,  but  the  writer 
prefers  to  use  the  above  term  as  he  believes  it  is  more  significant. 


188       THE  SADDLE  FOR  PAIR-HORSE  HARNESS,  ETC, 

tree,  any  unevenness  will  be  felt  uncomfortably  by  the  occu- 
pants of  the  cart.  It  is  customary  for  the  skirt  of  a  single 
victoria  saddle  or  one  for  a  similar  vehicle  to  be  fastened 
to  the  pad  by  a  single  rivet  on  each  side  near  the  end,  the 
heads  of  which  are  left  exposed. 

THE    SADDLE    FOR    PAIR-HORSE    HARNESS. 

PADS  for  pair-horse  harness  (see  Fig.  71),  besides  being 
much  lighter  in  build  than  the  saddle  for  single  harness, 
are  made  with  a  narrower  and  longer  skirt.  The  pad  is 
about  three  inches  wide  and  twenty-one  inches  long.  The 
skirt  is  about  nine  inches  long.  Two  rivet  heads  are  left 
exposed  near  the  ends  on  each  side.  On  the  flaps  at  either 
side  just  below  the  skirts  metal  loops  are  attached.  Into 
these  loops  the  point-straps  of  the  tugs  are  sewed.  These 
loops  are  either  crescent  shaped,  or  oval  and  hinged,  in 
order  to  give  the  play  which  is  required  by  the  tug-straps. 

THE    HOUSINGS. 

HOUSINGS  or  PAD- HOUSINGS,  SADDLE-CLOTHS  or  SADDLE- 
LEATHERS,  as  they  are  termed  according  to  their  various 
forms,  are  made  of  leather  or  cloth  and  are  placed  under 
the  saddle,  the  general  outline  of  which  they  follow,  but 
beyond  which  they  extend  on  the  sides.  They  are  made  with 
colored  leather,  silk  cord,  or  metal  chain  borders.  When- 
ever housings  are  used  the  trimming  of  the  border  should 
match  the  front  or  brow-band.  The  use  of  housings  and 
silk  fronts  is  only  considered  appropriate  for  use  with  a 
panel-boot  victoria.  Housings  are  not  included  with  the 
harness  but  are  sold  separately.  They  cost,  with  the  fronts 
and  rosettes,  about  $25  per  pair. 


THE    CRUPPER-STRAP  AND    CRUPPER.  189 

THE    CRUPPER-STRAP. 

THE  CRUPPER-STRAP  measures  from  the  buckle  to  the 
saddle  about  seventeen  inches.  The  length  of  the  crup- 
per-strap to  the  saddle  is  about  forty-three  inches.  The 
width  is  about  one  and  one-sixteenth  inches.  One  end  of 
this  strap  is  sewed  to  the  top  part  of  the  flat  portion  of  the 
crupper  and  the  other  is  carried  through  the  D  in  the  back 
of  the  saddle  from  the  under  side  ;  thence  through  a  keeper 
near  the  saddle  and  through  one  in  front  of  the  buckle,  and 
the  point  being  secured,  the  end  is  held  in  place  by  three 
keepers  about  two  and  a  half  inches  apart.  On  some  har- 
ness the  keeper  near  the  saddle  is  snugly  held  in  place 
against  the  pad  by  means  of  a  strap  sewed  to  the  under  side 
of  the  keeper  and  passed  through  the  D  and  inserted  in  the 
buckle  attached  to  the  top  part  of  the  keeper. 


FIG.    72. 
THE    CRUPPER. 

THE  CRUPPER  is  a  piece  of  leather  which  at  the  point  of 
passing  under  the  horse's  tail  is  rounded  and  heavily  stuffed 
to  prevent  chafing.  It  measures  about  six  inches  in  circum- 
ference in  the  thickest  part.  The  two  ends  diminish  in  thick- 
ness as  they  are  carried  up  over  the  back  forming  a  V, 
measuring  from  the  inside  of  the  rounded  part  to  the  end 
of  the  split  about  thirteen  inches.  The  flat  portion  extends 
under  the  crupper-strap  to  a  point  in  front  of  the  buckle. 
The  crupper  should  be  made  of  one  piece  of  leather,  and 
preferably  have  no  buckles. 


190 


THE  BREECHING. 


FIG.    73< 


THE    BREECHING. 

THE  BREECHING  is  used  chiefly  for  heavy  single-horse  ve- 
hicles. It  is  composed  of  two  parts :  first,  the  hip-straps  which 
support  the  seat  of  the  breeching;  second,  the  breeching-seat. 
The  former  is  about  forty-seven  inches  in  length.  The 
width  where  it  splits  should  be,  preferably,  too  narrow  to 
admit  of  placing  a  monogram,  crest,  etc.,  upon  it.  The  ends 
of  the  hip-strap  terminate  in  points  which  fit  into  the  buckles 
attached  to  tug-straps  on  the  breeching-seat.  These  tug- 
straps  are  about  six  inches  long.  The  breeching-seat  is 
made  of  heavy  lined  leather  and  measures  about  forty  inches 
in  length  and  one  and  three-quarters  inches  in  width.  At 


THE   KICKING-STRAP  AND    TRACES.  191 

the  extremities  rings  are  sewed,  and  in  these  rings  are  placed 
the  breeching-straps  which  connect  the  breeching-seat  with 
the  shafts.  The  breeching-seat  varies  somewhat  in  construc- 
tion ;  its  shape  is  defined  as  plain  (see  A,  Fig.  73),  square- 
seat  (see  B,  Fig.  73),  and  buckle-seat  (see  C,  Fig.  73).  The 
latter  form  is  made  by  inserting  a  buckle  between  the  points 
of  the  hip-strap  and  a  point  sewed  into  the  ring,  which  takes 
the  foremost  hip-strap  point.  By  this  device  the  breeching- 
seat  may  be  adjusted  when  the  horse  is  in  harness,  without 
disturbing  the  breeching-straps  on  the  shafts.  The  breech- 
ing-strap  is  attached  to  the  breeching-seat  by  the  point 
being  passed  through  the  ring  at  the  end  of  the  seat  and 
then  through  a  keeper  on  the  back.  The  breeching-strap 
is  about  thirty-eight  inches  long  and  one  inch  wide. 

THE    KICKING-STRAP. 

THE  KICKING-STRAP  is  used  on  all  light  four  and  most 
two  wheeled  vehicle  harness.  It  consists  of  a  broad  leather 
strap  about  an  inch  and  three-quarters  wide  which  is  passed 
between  the  loops  of  the  crupper-strap  and  the  ends  fastened 
in  loops  with  buckles.  .These  loops  are  passed  around  the 
shaft  and  there  held  in  place  by  metal  keepers  attached  to 
the  sides  of  the  shaft.  The  use  of  the  kicking-strap  is  con- 
fined to  harness  of  a  sporting  or  semi-sporting  character. 

THE    TRACES. 

TRACES  for  single  harness  are  about  seventy-two  inches 
long  and  one  inch  and  a  half  wide.  For  pair-horse  harness 
the  length  is  about  eighty  inches  and  the  width  one  and  a 
quarter  inches.  The  traces  are  made  of  several  plies  of  heavy 
leather  firmly  sewed  together  in  rows  of  one  or  more  lines  of 


192 


THE    TRACES. 


FIG.    74. 


stitching.  The  points  contain  a  number  of  holes  punched  in 
the  centre  by  the  means  of  which  the  length  of  the  trace  is 
adjusted  in  the  buckle  on  the  hame-tug.  The  other  end  of 
the  trace  is  finished  square  or  round  in  single  harness 
vehicles  and  has  a  slit  through  which  the  end  of  the  whiffle- 
tree  is  thrust.  For  fastening  the  traces  on  the  roller  bolts 
in  pair-horse  vehicles  a  metal  loop  is  attached  to  the  end. 
With  a  view  to  giving  this  part  a  more  finished  appearance 
when  in  place,  a  short  piece  of  leather,  the  width  of  the  trace 
and  about  two  inches  long,  is  sewed  to  the  other  side  of  the 
loop.  Separate  trace-loops  may  be  had  (see  Fig.  74)  by 
means  of  which  an  ordinary  trace-end  may  be  converted  into 


THE    TRACE-BEARERS. 


193 


a  loop.     These  are  very  convenient,  but  are  not  considered 
as  neat  as  those  to  which  the  trace-end  is  sewed. 


FIG.    75, 


THE    TRACE-BEARERS. 

TRACE- BEARERS  or  LOIN-STRAPS  (see  Fig.  75)  are  straps  ex- 
tending through  the  loops  of  the  crupper-strap  and  terminat- 
ing in  one  or  two  frogs  joined  together,  each  large  enough 
to  receive  a  monogram,  badge  or  crest.  The  strap  which 
passes  through  the  crupper-strap  is  attached  to  one  or  two 
frogs.  If  two  frogs  are  used  a  point-strap  is  fastened  at  the 
bottom  to  the  upper  frog  and  fits  into  a  buckle  on  the  top 
of  the  second  frog,  which  has  on  the  inside  a  leather  loop 
by  which  the  trace  is  carried.  When  only  one  frog  is  used 
the  strap  is  passed  through  a  D  in  the  top  of  the  frog  and 
attached  to  a  buckle  which  runs  on  the  upper  part  of  the 
same  strap.  The  lower  frog  is  omitted  on  the  inside  of  the 
trace-bearers  of  pair-horse  brougham  and  similar  harness. 


194 


THE  BREAST-PLATE   AND   MARTINGALE. 


THE    FILLET-STRAP. 

FILLET-STRAPS  are  diminutive  loin-straps  and  are  used  in 
the  same  manner,  except  placed  nearer  the  saddle.  Their 
use  is  not  desirable. 

THE    BREAST-PLATE. 

BREAST-PLATES  (see  B,  Fig.  76)  are  narrow  strips  of  leather 
with  a  loop  at  one  end,  made  adjustable  by  a  buckle,  and  held 
in  place  by  the  pad-girth,  but  not  the  trace-girth.  The  other 
end  is  sewed  to  the  back  of  a  frog,  on  the  face  of  which  a 
monogram,  etc.,  may  be  placed.  The  top  of  the  frog  is 
attached  by  a  metal  D  to  a  strap  with  a  long  billet  which 
enables  it  to  be  fastened  into  the  kidney-link  or  around  the 
collar  if  occasion  requires.  In  appointment  classes  the 
billet  should  be  fastened  around  the  inside  of  the  jointed 
kidney-link  against  the  collar.  The  breast-plate  should  be 
made  short  enough  to  hold  the  bottom  of  the  collar  in  place, 
and  used  only  with  pole-pieces  or  pole-chains,  as  it  is  intended 
to  hold  the  collar  in  place  when  acted  upon  by  the  forward 
pressure  of  the  pole. 


THE    MARTINGALE. 

THE  MARTINGALE  (see  A,  Fig.  76),  as  applied  to  harness,  is 
always  the  standing  pattern,  except  for  road-horse  harness. 
It  is  similar  in  all  respects  to  the  breast-plate,  except  that 


THE  REINS  AND    COUPLING-RING.  195 

instead  of  terminating  at  the  collar,  it  extends  to  the  under 
part  of  the  nose-band  or  to  the  bit  to  which  it  is  buckled  or 
fastened  with  a  snap  hook.  The  martingale  should  be  made 
a  little  longer  than  is  required  for  the  horse  to  carry  his 
head  in  a  natural  position.  The  loop  should  be  held  by  the 
pad-girth  and  not  by  the  tug-girth.  A  horse  should  be  made 
accustomed  to  the  restriction  of  a  martingale  before  being 
driven  with  one.  Some  horses,  when  they  first  feel  the  re- 
straint, rear  and  fall  backward. 

THE    REINS. 

REINS  should  be  made  of  flat  brown  leather  of  about  the 
same  width  throughout;  black  or  those  with  white  hand-pieces 
should  not  be  used.  At  one  end  the  reins  should  have 
billets  of  leather  by  which  the  reins  are  attached  to  the 
bit  and  at  the  other  a  buckle  and  point  so  that  they  can  be 
joined.  The  billets  should  not  be  stiffened  with  iron.  In 
front  of  the  billet  buckles  there  are  often  placed  keepers. 
The  width  of  reins  vary  between  seven-eighths  of  an  inch  and 
an  inch  and  an  eighth.  For  pair-horse  harness  each  rein  is 
made  in  two  parts :  one,  the  draught-rein,  being  a  continuous 
piece  of  leather  from  end  to  end ;  the  other,  a  shorter  piece, 
called  a  coupling-rein,  is  buckled  under  the  draught-rein. 

The  buckle  which  allows  the  reins  to  be  adjusted  "should 
come  to  within  eighteen  inches  of  the  hand  when  the  horses 
are  going/'  "  Driving,"  Badminton,  p.  98. 

THE    COUPLING-RING. 

THE  COUPLING-RING  is  about  two  inches  and  three- 
quarters  in  diameter.  It  is  made  either  of  ivory  or  white 
celluloid.  At  one  time  its  use  was  general  on  all  pair-horse 


196  THE  POLE-PIECES. 

coupling-reins,  but  it  is  now  confined  to  such  harness  as  is 
used  with  a  neck-yoke. 

THE    POLE-PIECES. 

POLE-PIECES  are  leather  straps  with  a  buckle  matching  in 
shape  and  metal  those  on  the  harness.  An  inch  or  so  in 
front  of  the  buckle  a  keeper  is  sewed  to  the  upper  side  and 
another  is  similarly  placed  about  four  inches  lower  down. 
On  the  reverse  side  two  other  keepers  are  placed  just  below 
the  upper  ones.  The  keepers  should  be  of  leather,  not  metal. 
In  the  point  end  holes  are  made  to  take  the  tongue  of  the 
buckle.  The  pole-piece  should  be  of  the  same  color  leather 
as  the  harness  and  just  long  enough  to  enable  the  point  to 
be  passed  through  the  eye  of  the  pole-head  or  crab,  and 
thence  through  the  kidney-link  ring  and  be  buckled,  to  fill 
all  the  keepers,  but  not  extend  beyond  the  end  of  the  pole. 
Pole-pieces  "  should  be  of  the  best  tanned,  soundest  leather 
and  be  kept  perfectly  clean,  soft  and  dry,  otherwise  they  will 
soon  become  rotten  and  dangerous."  ("  Driving,"  Badmin- 
ton, p.  100.)  That  they  should  be  used  instead  of  pole-chains 
on  all  pair-horse  harness  when  the  coachman  drives  is 
agreed  by  all  authorities,  but  there  is  a  difference  of  opinion 
as  to  their  use  when  an  owner  drives.  Major  Dixon  and 
others,  in  the  volume  on  "  Driving  "  in  the  Badminton  Li- 
brary, p.  100,  advocate  the  use  of  the  pole-pieces  instead  of 
chains  on  all  pair-horse  vehicles  except  the  mail-phaeton : 
"  Pole-pieces  are  in  most  frequent  use  in  pair-horse  car- 
riages, except  the  mail-phaetons,  of  all  descriptions."  The 
writer  believes,  for  personal  use,  the  owner  is  justified  in 
exercising  his  own  preference.  Pole-pieces  are  sold  sepa- 
rately from  the  harness,  but  are  included  in  the  purchase  of 
a  pair-horse  vehicle.  They  cost  about  $  1 2  per  pair. 


THE   NECK-YOKE   STRAPS  AND  POLE-CHAINS.      197 
THE    NECK-YOKE    STRAPS. 

NECK-YOKE  STRAPS  are  similar  in  every  respect,  except  in 
length,  to  pole-pieces.  As  the  ends  of  the  neck-yoke,  to  which 
the  straps  are  fastened,  are  nearer  the  throats  of  the  collars 
than  is  the  end  of  the  pole,  the  neck-yoke  straps  are  shorter. 


FIG.  77. 

POLE- CHAINS. 
THE    POLE-CHAINS. 

POLE-CHAINS  are  of  two  kinds :  one  for  use  on  pair-horse 
carriages  driven  by  the  owner  or  on  a  park  coach,  the  other 
for  use  in  road-coach  work.  The  links  of  the  chains  for 
both  non-sporting  and  sporting  vehicles  should  be  single, 


198  THE  POLE-CHAINS. 

oval  steel  links,  sometimes  called  the  cable  pattern  (see  A, 
Fig-  77).  These  are  the  simplest,  neatest,  and  of  the  most 
practical  form  of  construction.  Twisted  or  double  chains 
(see  B,  Figure  77),  with  the  links  lying  in  folds,  like  those 
of  curb-chains,  should  never  be  used.  The  pole-chains  of 
road  coaches  should  be  black,  if  the  pole  head  is  corre- 
spondingly treated.  Pole-chains  should  never  be  used  on  a 
vehicle  driven  by  a  servant. 

THE  HOOKS  are  of  three  types,  the  single  snap,  the  double 
snap  and  the  open  hook.  The  single  snap  hook  is  the  one 
generally  used  for  chains  of  non-sporting  vehicles.  Some 
writers  have  claimed  that  the  double  snap  hook  should 
never  be  employed,  as  it  is  conducive  to  the  dangling  of  two 
or  three  links,  which  results  in  "  the  clanking  pole-chains." 
This  argument  alone  is  hardly  sufficient  to  justify  the 
debarring  of  double  snap  hooks.  The  fault  is  not  in  the 
hook,  but  in  the  servant.  The  writer's  opinion  is  that  "  they 
should  not  be  employed  "  ought  to  be  applied  to  ignorant 
coachmen  rather  than  to  the  double  snap  hook.  This  hook 
has  several  important  advantages,  not  possessed  by  the  single 
snap,  namely,  in  case  of  an  emergency  it  can  be  released 
from  two  points,  and  being  detachable  from  the  links  it  may 
be  more  readily  replaced  in  the  event  of  its  breaking ;  and 
for  the  same  reason  it  is  easier  for  the  servant  to  clean.  The 
hooks  for  road-coach  pole-chains  are  not  jointed  but  made  in 
one  piece  and  open.  Over  the  point  a  heavy  rubber  band  is 
placed  to  retain  the  link  in  the  hook.  Hooks  and  links 
should  correspond  in  material  and  color  with  each  other  and 
with  the  pole  head. 

The  rules  of  the  New  York  Coaching  Club  regarding  the 
use  of  pole-chains  on  private  coaches  and  road  coaches  are  thus 


SLEIGH  BELLS. 


199 


FIG.    78. 


200 


FUR  HOUSINGS. 


FIG.  79. 


FIG.    80. 


SLEIGH  BELLS,   FUR  FRONTS,   ETC. 


201 


defined:  For  park  harness  "pole-chains  should  be  bur- 
nished and  have  spring  hooks;  "  for  road  harness  "  pole-chains 
should  be  burnished  or  black,  hooks  should  have  india  rubber 
rings,  not  spring  hooks." 

Pole-chains  are  sold  separately  from  the  harness  and  for 
pair-horse  harness  cost  about  $12  per  pair.  Those  for  a 
coach  cost  about  $  1 5  per  pair. 

SLEIGH    BELLS,  FUR    FRONTS,  HOUSING    AND    PLUMES. 

Of  recent  years  the  girdle  of  bells  for  the  horse  has  been 
largely  superseded  by  shaft  and  pad  bells.  For  heavy  single 
and  pair-horse  harness  a  set  of  bells  (see  p.  199)  is  attached 
to  the  pad  by  screwing  the  pad-terrets  through  the  eyes 


FIG.    8l. 


FIG.    82. 


202  APPOINTMENTS  FOR   SINGLE  BROUGHAM. 

made  in  the  ends  of  the  braces  supporting  the  bells.  The 
knobs  on  top  of  the  bells  unscrew  and  in  their  place  red, 
yellow,  green,  etc.,  horsehair  sprays  may  be  used. 

Fur  fronts  and  fur  housings  add  very  much  to  the  wintry 
effect  of  a  well  "  turned  out"  sleigh.  They  should  not  be 
used  in  connection  with  carriages.  The  dark  colored  furs 
are  preferable.  (See  p.  200.) 

Plumes  (see  Fig.  81),  as  distinct  from  sprays  (see  Fig.  82), 
are  better  left  to  the  circus  and  van  horse  caparisons.  They 
exaggerate  an  effect  which  when  produced  in  moderation  is 
to  be  desired. 

For  description  of  bits  see  Chapter  X. 

APPOINTMENTS. 

The  details  to  which  reference  is  given  below  are  those 
which  characterized  the  harness  of  the  winning  entry  at  the 
National  Horse  Show,  or  are  observed  by  well  known  horse 
owners,  and  therefore  represent  what  is  generally  accepted 
as  being  appropriate. 

FOR    SINGLE    BROUGHAM. 

Leather,  black,  double  lined. 

Stitching,  black,  double. 

Furniture,  brass  throughout. 

Buckles,  square  with  slightly  rounded  corners,  and  single 

throughout. 

Keepers,  single  throughout 
Front,  single  link,  or  as  shown  in  Plate. 
Winkers,  square  with  slightly  rounded  corners. 
Bearing-rein  drop-strap  attached  to  crown-piece. 
Bearing-rein  drop  balloon  or  double  ring. 
Bearing-rein,  full. 
Bit,  Buxton  with  pulley-bridoon. 


BROUGHAM   HARNESS  OF  THE   WINNING  ENTRY  AT  THE 
NATIONAL  HORSE  SHOW. 


APPOINTMENTS  FOR  PAIR-HORSE  BROUGHAM,  ETC.  203 

Collar,  shaped  patent  leather,  black  lining. 

Hames,  anchor  draft  of  same  metal  throughout  as  other 

furniture. 

Hame-terrets,  jointed. 

Hame-tug,  neither  clip  nor  rivet  heads  exposed. 
Hame-chain  and  ring  plated  to  match  other  furniture. 
Martingale,   standing,  loop  held  by  pad-girth   (and  not 

by  the  tug-girth  which  is  attached  to  tug-strap). 
Saddle,  straight  flaps,  gradually  diminishing  in  width. 
Bearing-rein  hook,  not  post. 
Housings,  none. 
Tugs,  French  pattern. 
Tug-girth  passes  through  loop  on  pad-girth  and  is  buckled 

on  both  sides  to  tug-strap. 

Crupper-strap,  strap  and  buckle  on  keeper  near  saddle. 
Crupper,  no  buckles. 
Breeching,  buckle-seat  or  plain. 
Reins,  brown  leather,  keepers   on  point-straps  of  billets, 

buckle  of  hand-piece  on  near  rein. 
Monogram,  badge  or  crest  on  face-piece,  rosettes,  winkers, 

frog  of  martingale,  both  sides  of  saddle,  nowhere 

else. 

FOR    PAIR-HORSE    BROUGHAM    OR    VICTORIA. 

Leather,  black  and  double  lined. 

Stitching,  double  and  black  throughout. 

Furniture,  brass  throughout. 

Buckles,   square,    slightly    rounded    corners    and   single 

throughout. 

Fronts,  single  link,  or  as  shown  in  Plate. 
Winkers,  square  with  slightly  rounded  corners. 


204  APPOINTMENTS  FOR  PAIR-HORSE  BROUGHAM,  ETC. 

Bearing-rein,  drop-strap  attached  to  crown-piece. 

Bearing-rein  drop,  double  ring  pattern. 

Bearing-rein,  full. 

Bits,  Buxton  with  pulley-bridoon. 

Coupling-ring,  none. 

Collar,  shaped  patent  leather  and  very  light  for  victoria. 

Hames,  anchor  draft,  of  same  metal  throughout  as  other 
furniture. 

Hame-straps  fastened  with  points  toward  the  pole. 

Hame-tug,  only  three  rivet  heads  exposed,  clip  covered. 

Hame-tug  buckle,  with  top  and  bottom  crescent  shaped 
loops  for  tug  and  guide  straps,  which  are  sewed, 
not  buckled,  into  the  loops. 

Kidney-link  jointed,  not  open,  link  and  ring  plated  to 
match  other  parts  of  furniture. 

Pole-pieces,  buckles  leather  covered. 

Breast-plate,  loop  around  pad-girth  (but  not  around  trace- 
girth),  billet  buckled  around  inner  side  of  kidney- 
link  against  collar. 

Saddle,  straight  edge,  two  rivet  heads  showing  at  end  of 
skirt  on  each  side. 

Tug-straps  sewed  into  crescent  shaped  metal  loops  or 
jointed  oval  ones. 

Housings,  none,  except  for  panel-boot  victoria. 

Crupper-straps,  strap  and  buckle  on  keeper  near  saddle. 

Trace-bearers,  double  frogs,  lower  one  omitted  on  inside. 

Trace-ends,  square  metal  loop  sewed  on  (loop  with  leather 
flap). 

Reins,  brown  leather,  keepers  in  front  of  billet  buckles, 
coupling  buckle  coming  within  eighteen  inches  of 
hands,  buckle  of  hand-piece  on  near  rein. 


PAIR-HORSE  VICTORIA  HARNESS  OF   WINNING  ENTRY   AT  THE 
NATIONAL  HORSE  SHOW. 


APPOINTMENTS  FOR  SINGLE   RUN-ABOUT.  205 

Monogram,  badge  or  crest  on  face-piece,  outside  rosette 
of  each  bridle,  winkers,  frog  of  martingale,  both 
sides  of  saddle  pad,  both  outside  frogs  of  trace- 
bearers,  the  inside  frog. 

FOR    SINGLE    RUN-ABOUT. 

Leather,  black,  lined. 

Stitching,  double  throughout,  black. 

Furniture,  brass  or  silver,  but  preferably  brass  when  a 
breast  collar  is  used. 

Buckles,  single,  if  brass,  horseshoe ;  if  silver,  square  with 
slightly  rounded  corners. 

Keepers,  single  throughout. 

Front,  single  link,  or  as  shown  in  Plate. 

Winkers,  square  with  slightly  rounded  corners. 

Bearing-rein  drop,  oval,  attached  to  throat-latch. 

Bearing-rein,  single. 

Bit,  Elbow,  or  Liverpool,  or  double  ringed  snaffle  with 
breast  collar. 

Collar,  shaped  or  breast. 

Hames,  finger  or  anchor  draft. 

Hame-tug,  rivet  heads  and  clip  exposed. 

Hame-chain  and  ring,  same  metal  as  other  furniture,  or 
of  steel. 

Martingale,  none. 

Saddle,  similar  in  shape  to  that  for  single  brougham  but 
much  lighter. 

Tugs,  English,  held  in  place  by  stops  on  shafts. 

Kicking-strap  or  breeching. 

Monogram  badge  or  crest  on  face-piece,  rosettes,  wink- 
ers, nowhere  else. 


206   APPOINTMENTS  FOR  SINGLE  WAGONS  AND  CARTS. 

FOR    SINGLE    STATION    WAGON    OR    SIMILAR    FOUR-WHEELED 

VEHICLE. 

Leather,  double  or  single. 

Stitching,  double  if  leather  is  lined. 

Furniture,  brass  or  silver. 

Buckles,  square  with  slightly  rounded  corners. 

Collar,  straight  or  shaped. 

Breast-plate,  none. 

Martingale,  none. 

Breeching,  plain  seat. 

FOR   GIG    OR    OTHER    TWO-WHEELED   CARTS. 

Leather,  black,  double  lined. 

Stitching,  black,  double. 

Furniture,  brass  (preferably)  or  silver. 

Buckles,  single,  horseshoe  (preferably)  or  square. 

Keepers,  single  throughout.  • 

Front,  single  link. 

Winkers,  square  with  rounded  corners. 

Bearing-rein  drop-strap  for  gig,  otherwise  depending  upon 

type  of  vehicle. 
Bearing-rein,  full  for  gig,  otherwise  depending  upon  type 

of  vehicle. 
Bit,  Gig  with  pulley-bridoon  for  gig,  or  Elbow,  depending 

upon  type  of  vehicle. 
Collar,  shaped. 
Hames,  anchor  draft. 
Hame-tug,  rivet  heads  and  clip  exposed. 
Hame-chain  and  ring,  same  metal  as  other  furniture,  or 

-steel. 
Martingale,  standing. 


RUN-ABOUT  HARNESS  OF  THE  WINNING  ENTRY  AT  THE 
NATIONAL  HORSE  SHOW. 


APPOINTMENTS  FOR  HANSOM,  PHAETONS,  ETC.       207 

Saddle,  groove  in  tree  for  free  passage  of  tug-strap. 

Tugs,  English. 

Crupper-strap,  buckle  on  loop  near  the  saddle. 

Crupper,  without  buckle. 

Kicking-strap  instead  of  breeching. 

Monogram,  badge  or  crest  on  face-piece,  rosettes,  winkers, 

frog  of  martingale,  both  sides  of  saddle,  nowhere 

else. 

For  a  Hansom  the  harness  should  be  similar  to  that  for 
a  gig  except  in  the  following  points:  the  bearing-rein,  if 
used,  should  be  single,  the  collar  straight,  the  saddle  very 
much  heavier  and  with  English  tugs,  the  middle  of  the 
pad-girth  should  be  broad,  from  four  to  six  inches  wide,  the 
breeching  heavy  and  the  trace  buckle  near  the  whifHe-tree 
end. 

For  Mail,  Demi-mail,  Stanhope  or  Spider  Phaeton  the 
harness  is  the  same  as  a  pair-horse  brougham  harness  except 
that  pole-chains  should  be  used  in  place  of  pole-piece,  and 
the  harness  should  be  somewhat  lighter  for  use  with  a 
Spider  Phaeton. 

For  the  Landau,  Vis-a-vis  or  Omnibus  the  harness 
should  be  the  same  as  that  for  a  pair-horse  brougham,  but  it 
is  customary  to  dispense  with  the  trace-bearers. 

•  For  the  Wagonette  and  similar  weight  non-sporting  type 
of  vehicle  the  harness  should  be  the  same  as  a  pair-horse 
brougham  harness,  but  made  a  little  lighter  throughout. 

For  all  sporting  four-wheelers  such  as  the  Game-cart, 
Shooting-cart,  Beach-wagon  or  Buckboard,  harness  with 
horseshoe  buckles  may  be  used  and  any  of  the  various  types 
of  bits  with  the  exception  of  the  Buxton. 


208  APPOINTMENTS  FOR    TANDEM. 

The  harness  for  Lady's  Phaeton  and  Similar  Carriages 
should  be  of  the  same  type  as  for  a  run-about,  except  that 
the  collar  should  be  shaped,  breeching  used  instead  of  kick- 
ing-strap,  and  standing  martingale.  Buxton  bit  with  pulley- 
bridoon  if  full  bearing-rein  is  used.  Square  buckles  are 
preferable. 

FOR    WET    WEATHER. 

In  harness  of  this  type  all  the  furniture  is  leather  cov- 
ered, fronts,  rosettes,  names,  buckles,  etc.,  and  the  leather 
used  is  black  and  generally  of  pigskin,  as  it  is  more  imper- 
vious to  rain. 

FOR    A    PONY    CART. 

When  intended  for  a  basket-cart,  russet  harness  with 
either  brass  or  silver  plated  mounts  looks  better  than  black, 
but  for  any  dark  four-wheeled  vehicle  the  latter  color  is 
preferable.  A  hame  collar  should  be  used,  and  if  the  har- 
ness is  for  a  "  two-wheeler  "  the  purchaser  should  assure  him- 
self that  the  tug-strap  slips  freely  through  the  saddle 

FOR    TANDEM. 

Tandem  harness  has  been  more  or  less  indefinitely  sep- 
arated into  two  types,  the  road  and  the  park.  The  charac- 
teristics of  each  are,  at  the  present  time,  arbitrarily  deter- 
mined by  individual  taste,  and  in  giving  the  details  of  each 
the  author  simply  states  his  own  preference. 

PARK.  ROAD. 

Leather      ".     .   ^.     .  Black  and  double  lined .  Black  or  brown. 

Stitching     ....  Black,  double       .     .     .  Single. 

Furniture    ....  Silver  plated  or  brass      .  Brass. 

Buckles Square Horseshoe. 


TANDEM   HARNESS  OF  THE   WINNING  ENTRY   AT  THE 
NATIONAL  HORSE  SHOW. 


APPOINTMENTS  FOR    TANDEM. 


209 


Fronts 


Face-piece  .... 
Winkers      .     .     .     . 

Bearing  -  rein    drop- 
strap  

Bearing-rein  drop 


PARK.  ROAD. 

Link  pattern    ....     Alternate     squares      of 

metal  and  leather. 

Required Optional. 

Square,  slightly  rounded 

corners   .  Horseshoe. 


Attached  to  crown-piece. 

Pear  shaped,  or  double 

ring    ...... 


Lead- rein  ring      .     . 


Bearing- rein     . 
Bit 


Collar 


Pendent  from  throat- 
latch  of  wheeler's 
bridle 

Full 

Buxton  and  pulley- 
bridoon 

Shaped  for  leader  and 
wheeler,  patent  leath- 
er 


Hames  .  Anchor  draft  . 


Hame-terrets  . 


Jointed   on   leader  and 
wheeler  . 


Hame-chain  and  ring     Required    .     .     .     .     . 


Omitted. 

Ring  pendent  from  throat- 
latch  and  divided  by  a 
bar  in  centre  on  wheel- 
er's bridle,  lower  part 
used  for  bearing-rein. 


Upper    section    of   above 
ring  used  for  lead-rein. 
Plain  or  none. 

Elbow,        Liverpool       or 
straight  bar  Buxton. 


Straight,   brown,  black  or 

basil-faced;     or  breast 

for  leader. 
Anchor  ball  and  ring,  hooks 

of   hames  of  burnished 

steel. 

Jointed     on    leader    and 

wheeler. 
Short      kidney-link      and 

chain  without  rings. 


210 


APPOINTMENTS  FOR   TANDEM. 


Hame-tug  .     . 
Trace-buckles . 


PARK. 

Rivet  heads  exposed, 
clip  covered 

A  shoulder  terminating 
in  an  eye  is  welded  to 
the  under  side  of  the 
front  of  the  trace- 
buckles  of  the  wheel- 
er's harness .... 


ROAD. 


Clip  and  rivet   heads  ex- 
posed. 


Traces 


Plain 


Martingale       .     . 
Saddle  for  wheeler 


Pad  terret  . 


Saddle  for  leader . 


Optional     . 
Gig  pattern 


Wheeler's  divided  by  a 
bar  to  separate  the 
wheel  and  lead-reins  . 


Similar  to  the  pad  for 
pair-horse  victoria, 
but  with  side  loops  of 
leather  to  carry  the 
traces.  To  match 
wheeler's  saddle  in 
finish 


Same    as   for    park,    but 

shoulder  and  eye  of  steel. 
Swivel  and  chain  ends  for 

wheeler  of  steel. 
Optional. 
Gig   pattern.     If  collar  is 

basil-faced,     saddle    to 

match. 


Wheelers  divided  by  a  bar 
to  separate  the  wheel 
and  lead-reins. 


Crupper  and  crupper- 
strap  


Same  as  for  park. 


Trace-bearers  . 
Kicking-strap  . 
Reins 


Required Optional  if  bearing-rein  is 

not  used. 

On  leader None. 

Required Optional. 

Single  brown  leather,  no 
buckles  on  hand- 
piece  of  leader's  reins,  Same  as  for  park. 


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APPOINTMENTS  FOR  PARK  AND  ROAD    COACH.     211 


PARK. 

Monograms  or  crests 

on Face-pieces,       winkers, 

rosettes,  martingale, 
trace  -  bearers  and 
skirts  of  saddle 


ROAD. 


Same  as  park  or  lead  bar* 
design  on  rosettes  and 
winkers  only. 


FOR  PARK  AND  ROAD  COACH. 

The  Park  Harness  is  intended  for  use  with  the  private 
coach  and  the  Road  Harness  with  the  public  coach.  There 
is  no  special  type  of  harness  defined  for  use  with  the  Body 
break,  the  writer's  preference  is  for  the  park  harness  with- 
out the  Buxton  bit  or  full  bearing-rein. 


Leather 
Stitching 

Furniture 
Buckles 

Fronts    . 


Face-pieces 
Winkers 


PARK. 

Black,  double  lined 
Black 


drop- 


Brass  or  silver  .  .  . 
Square  with  slightly 

rounded  corners  .  . 
Single  link  pattern,  or  as 

shown  in  Plate  . 


Required    .     .     .     .     . 

Square      with       slightly 

rounded  corners    , 


Bearing  -  rein 

strap 

Bearing-rein    drop, 

Leaders  . 


ROAD. 

Black  or  brown,  single. 
Black  or  yellow,  to  match 

leather. 
Brass. 

Horseshoe. 

Alternate  squares  of 
leather  and  metal,  or  as 
shown  in  Plate. 

Optional. 

Same  as  park. 


Attached  to  crown- piece,     Attached  to  throat-latch. 


Linked  rings  pendent 
from  crown- piece  of 
bridles 

*  See  Fig.  83. 


Plain  rings  pendent  from 
throat- latch. 


212     APPOINTMENTS  FOR  PARK  AND   ROAD    COACH. 


Bearing- re  in 
Wheelers 


drop, 


Bridle  terrets, 
Wheelers 


Bearing-reins 
Bits  -.     .     . 
Collars  . 


PARK. 


Same  as  leaders 


A  terret  is  riveted  to  the 
centre  of  the  crown- 
piece,  and  another  on 
the  winker-stays  . 

Round  rings  supported 
by  point-straps  of 
throat-latch  and 
cheek-pieces  on  out- 
side of  bridle  .  . 


ROAD. 


Plain   ring   pendent  from 
throat-latch. 


Same  as  park. 


Full 


Buxton  and  pulley 
bridoon 

Patent  leather  and 
shaped  


Hames  .  Anchor  draft 


Hame-tug  . 

Trace- buckles 
Hame-terrets 


Clip  covered,  only  rivet 
heads  exposed      .     . 


With  metal  loops  at  top 

and  bottom       .     .     . 

Jointed 


Round  rings  pendent  from 

throat- latch. 
Any  number  of  plain  that 

may  be  required. 

Any  design  desired. 

Straight,  black  or  brown 
or  basil-faced  and  full 
padded. 

Anchor  ball  and  ring.  The 
eyes  of  shoulder  and 
rings  of  draft  and  the 
bottom  ends  of  the 
names  of  steel. 

Clip  and  rivet  heads  ex- 
posed or  trace  sewed 
into  ring. 

None. 
Jointed. 


APPOINTMENTS  FOR  PARK  AND   ROAD    COACH.     213 


PARK. 


ROAD. 


Kidney-links, 
Leaders  . 


Wheelers 
Traces, 
Leaders  . 

Wheelers 
Breast-plate 


Saddles, 

Leaders  and 
Wheelers 


Wheelers 


Trace-girths 


Crupper-straps 


Plated  to  match  furni- 
ture.    Jointed  and  no 

ring Chain  and   short    kidney- 
link. 

Jointed  and  ring       .     .     As  above  with  ring. 


With    steel   snap    hook, 

screw  ends  up  . 
With  metal  loop  . 
With  frogs  on  leaders 

and  wheelers 


Tug-straps  sewed  into 
metal  loops  of  pad 
and  trace  buckles 


Lead-rein  terrets  on  top 
of  bearing-rein  hooks 
of  wheelers'  saddles  . 


Sewed  into  lower  loops 
of  trace  buckles 


Loops  near  saddles  with 
straps  and  buckles 


Same. 

French  loop  or  chain  end. 

Without  frogs,  and  around 
collar  and  through  kid- 
ney-link and  only  on 
wheelers. 


If  collars  are  basil -faced, 
saddles  should  corre- 
spond. 


Newmarket  tug  fastened 
around  trace  buckle  and 
through  loop  of  pad. 
Lead-rein  terrets  on  top 
of  bearing- rein  hooks 
of  wheelers'  saddles. 

Single  strap  similar  to 
hame-strap  fastened 
around  lower  side  of 

trace  buckles. 

'.'•~<    -. ',  . 

Optional. 


214 


APPOINTMENTS  FOR  SINGLE   ROAD. 


Cruppers    . 

Trace-bearers 

Reins 


Pole- chains 


Monograms  or  crests. 


PARK. 

With  or  without  buckles, 

Optional 

Single,  brown  leather 
throughout,  draught- 
rein  sewed  in  one 
piece, with  end  buckles 
only 

Burnished  steel  with 
single  spring  hooks  . 


On  rosettes,  face-pieces, 
winkers,  saddle  pads, 
trace-bearers  and 
frogs  of  breast- plate  . 


ROAD. 


Optional. 
None. 


Same. 

Burnished     or  black     to 

match  pole  head    and 

open  hooks  with  india 
rubber  ring. 


Lead-bar  design  on  wink- 
ers and  rosettes  only. 
(See  Fig.  83.) 


FIG.    83. 
FOR    SINGLE    ROAD. 

The  chief  essentials  are  lightness  and  simplicity. 

Leather,  black,  double  lined. 

Stitching,  black. 

Furniture,  terrets  and  check  hook,  black,  enamelled  on 

outside,  gilt  lined  on  the  inside. 
Buckles,  horseshoe  and  leather  cover. 
Keepers,  single  and  of  leather,  not  metal. 
Winkers,  square. 
Check-rein,  over-draw  round  leather  on  the  face. 


APPOINTMENTS  FOR   DOUBLE  ROAD.  215 

Bits,  half  cheek,  jointed  snaffle  and  check  bit. 

Collars,  breast,  with  loops  for  running  martingale. 

Running  martingale  above  breast-piece  of  round  leather, 
collar  and  rings  leather  covered. 

Hip-straps,  single  to  within  about  four  inches  of  breech- 
ing-seat. 

Traces,  round  leather  from  back  of  saddle  to  within  a 
few  inches  of  whiffle-tree  or  flat  throughout. 

Reins,  round  leather  from  billet  to  hand  pieces  or  flat 
throughout. 

Initial  letter,  not  monogram  or  crest,  on  rosettes,  on 
shoulder-straps  of  breast  collar  just  above  the 
buckle,  on  both  sides  of  saddle,  and  on  the  hip- 
straps  little  more  than  halfway  down.  The  leather 
under  these  parts  is  swelled  to  take  the  letter. 

FOR    DOUBLE    ROAD. 

This  differs  from  the  single  in  the  following  respects : 

Fronts,  enamelled  leather  of  stable  colors. 

Collar,  hame  collar,  patent  leather,  shaped  and  very  light. 

Hames,  leather  covered  with  gilt  draft  and  gilt  eyes  at 
top  and  bottom. 

Terrets  to  match  those  on  the  pad.  Inside  terrets  at- 
tached to  hames  by  a  strap  about  four  inches  long. 

Kidney-link,  steel  bar  with  hooked  ends  and  a  metal  D 
in  the  centre  to  take  the  yoke-straps. 

Coupling  ring  of  ivory  to  be  used. 

Saddle,  with  trace-loops  instead  of  tugs.  Enamelled 
leather  housings  to  match  fronts. 

Breast-plate  with  initial  letter. 

Trace-bearers,  not  used. 


216  COST. 


COST. 

BRASS.  SILVER. 

Brougham  and  Mail  r  Single      .     .                      ($140  #150 

Phaeton.     .     .     J                                           I    *75  i»5 

(Pair-horse    ....      f*3°°  #3*5 

(    33<>  350 

Spider  and  T-Cart                                                  J  $200  #225 

I    260  280 

Curricle      ............         $250  $275 

(  Black  leather   .                {  $  8o  #  85 

Single  Run-about  .                                                   (no  120 

(  Russet  leather  ...         $  55  $  65 

Hansom     ............         $  75  $  gO 

Wet  Weather  Harness  J  Single      •  $85 

(  Pair-horse    ....         $150 


Tandem      .     .                                                          {  ^So  $165 

(    300  350 

(  Park  .                                {  *375  #400 

Four-in-hand  .     .     J                                           1    55^  575 
(Road  ......      j#225 

(    300  ^325 

Road  Horse               .  {  Sin8le>                                  *  5o  ^110 

(  Pair-horse,  ....         $125  $225 

Pony  Harness.     .     .  1  Single»                                  #55  £65 

(  Pair-horse    ....         $125  $125 


CHAPTER  IX. 


SADDLES  AND  BRIDLES. 

THE  PARTS,  CONSTRUCTION,  DESIGN  AND  COST. 

SADDLES,  unlike  any  of  the  other 
purchases  that  a  novice  is  called  upon 
to  make  in  setting  up  a  stable,  must 
fulfil  to  a  nicety  two  very  important 
requirements  ;  the  first  of  which  is 
fitting  the  horse,  and  second  fitting 
the  rider.  Experience  of  a  practical 
nature  is  the  only  means  by  which  a 
tyro  can  qualify  himself  to  choose  a 
saddle  which  is  both  comfortable  to 
the  horse  and  himself.  A  good  sad- 
dler may  be  of  much  service  in  aiding 
the  novice  in  making  a  choice,  but  it 
is  more  than  likely  that  after  having 
used  the  saddle  for  some  time  the 
purchaser  will  find  that,  were  he  to 
buy  another  saddle,  he  would  choose 
one  of  somewhat  different  shape,  size 
or  weight.  If  the  first  purchase 
proves  successful  in  every  respect  it 
must  be  considered  an  unusual  piece 
of  good  luck;  and  failure  in  the  first 

instance  should  only  serve  to  indicate  what  shapes  and  makes 
are  to  be  avoided  and  the  improvements  desired  in  a  future 
purchase. 


21: 


THE  PARTS    OF  A   SADDLE. 


FIG.    84. 


FIG.    85. 


I. 

2. 

3- 

4- 

5- 
6. 

7- 


The  pommel. 

The  seat  and  the  waist. 

The  cantle. 

The  pannel  or  lining. 

The  skirt. 

The  knee  pad. 

The  flap. 


1.  The  spring  bar. 

2.  The  point  pocket. 

3.  The  girth-tugs. 

4.  The  sweat-flap. 


MENS    SADDLES. 

The  framework  of  a  man's  saddle  is  composed  of  the 
tree,  which  is  the  wooden  part  that  keeps  the  pressure  of  the 
saddle  from  falling  on  the  horse's  spine;  the  gullet  plate,  con- 
sisting of  an  iron  fork  attached  to  the  tree  under  the  pom- 
mel ;  and  the  points  of  the  tree,  which  extend  from  the  ends 
of  the  gullet  plate  to  the  pockets  in  the  flaps.  The  other 
parts  of  the  saddle  are  shown  in  the  accompanying  cuts  with 
descriptive  notes. 


THE  LEATHER,   COLOR,  STITCHING,  FURNITURE.    219 
THE    LEATHER. 

The  material  of  which  the  saddle  is  made  should  be 
preferably  of  pigskin  for  the  seat  and  flaps,  or  the  latter  may 
be  made  of  calfskin,  if  but  a  single  thickness  of  leather  is 
used,  and  the  outer  surface  stamped  to  imitate  pigskin. 
Doeskin,  although  giving  the  rider  a  firmer  seat,  is  objec- 
tionable, first,  because  it  absorbs  the  moisture  in  the  air  and 
becomes  hard ;  and  second,  because  saddles  in  which  it  is 
employed  are  clumsier  and  less  workmanlike  in  appearance. 
Imitation  pigskin  may  be  known  by  the  absence  of  the 
holes  from  which  the  bristles  have  been  taken  in  the  true 
leather 

THE    COLOR    AND    STITCHING. 

The  leather  should  be  of  russet  color,  and  the  saddle  and 
bridle  correspond  in  shade.  As  the  leather  tones  down  with 
age  and  constant  dressing  it  becomes  a  golden  brown,  which 
shade  is  the  one  most  desirable  to  retain.  The  stitching 
should  be  yellow  and  free  from  any  fancy  design,  such  as 
scroll  work,  etc.  In  the  best  made  saddles  the  stitching  is 
confined  to  the  edges  of  the  various  parts,  the  outlines  of 
which  it  follows. 

THE    FURNITURE. 

The  furniture  consists  of  the  two  spring-bars  from  which 
stirrup  leathers  are  suspended,  the  •  rivet  heads  of  the  rivets 
and  a  D  or  staple  in  front  of  the  skirt  and  one  under 
it  on  each  side.  Two  staples  are  placed  on  the  left-hand 
side  of  the  seat  in  hunting  saddles.  The  spring-bars 
should  be  of  steel  and  of  some  type  that  allows  the  stirrup 
leather  to  be  released  when  drawn  backward.  The  rivet 
heads  are  usually  plated,  as  they  receive  but  little  wear  and 


220  THE    WEIGHT. 

tear  and  may  be  kept  bright  with  less  chance  of  soiling  the 
leather  than  if  made  of  steel  and  burnished.  Metal  loops 
are  attached  to  the  saddle  in  front  of  the  skirt  or  sides  of 
the  seat  for  the  purpose  of  holding  the  guide-straps  of  the 
martingale,  a  horn,  flask  or  sandwich  case. 


FIG.  86. 

THE    WEIGHT. 

The  weight  of  an  ordinary  saddle  varies  between  twelve 
and  sixteen  pounds.  A  light  hunting  or  polo  saddle  weighs 
about  ten  pounds.  (See  Fig.  86.)  In  reference  to  determin- 
ing what  the  weight  of  a  saddle  should  be  by  the  weight  of 
the  rider,  Captain  Hayes  in  "  Riding,"  p.  233,  says : 

"The  commonly  accepted  rule  that  the  weight  of  a  saddle  should  be  pro- 
portionate to  that  of  the  rider  is  not  quite  correct ;  for  a  short,  heavy  man 
might  ride,  with  full  comfort  to  the  horse,  in  a  lighter  saddle  than  a  lighter, 
though  taller  man  could  do.  The  weight  of  an  ordinary  saddle  depends 
on  ( i )  the  length  of  tree  suitable  to  the  rider's  length  of  thigh ;  ( 2 )  the 
shape  of  the  rider's  stern ;  for  if  this  is  broad,  extra  weight  in  the  tree  will 


THE   RULES  FOR  MEASURING   SIZE.  221 

be  required  to  give  the  necessary  width  in  the  seat  of  the  saddle;  (3)  the 
amount  of  material  in  the  tree,  so  that  it  may  not  bend  or  '  give '  under  the 
weight." 


FIG.  87. 

THE    RULES    FOR    MEASURING. 

"  Length  of  seat  A,  fore  part  to  cantle,  state  if  cut  back  or  straight  head  ; 
B,  width  of  seat;  C,  length  from  cantle  to  lower  part  of  knee  roll;  D,  from 
centre  of  saddle  to  bottom  of  flap  ;  E,  width  across  flap.  Height  and  weight 
of  rider,  also  whether  long  or  short  stirrup-leathers  are  used.  For  fit  of 
horse,  describe  if  round  or  high  withers,  hollow  or  straight  back." 

THE    SIZE. 

The  length  of  the  seat  (see  Fig.  87)  should  be  such  that 
when  the  knees  are  held  in  their  proper  position  against  the 
flaps,  there  will  be  about  two  inches  of  the  seat  left  exposed 
near  the  cantle.  The  position  of  the  knees  should  be  deter- 
mined by,  first,  the  length  of  the  stirrup  being  just  long 


222  THE   SHAPE. 

enough  to  admit  of  placing  the  knuckles  vertically  between 
the  crotch  of  the  legs  and  the  seat  of  the  saddle  when  the 
rider  stands  upright  in  his  stirrups  ;  second,  by  the  knee 
being  carried  either  forward  or  backward  to  a  point  where 
the  shin  bone  and  the  stirrup  leather  fall  in  a  vertical  line. 
If,  however,  the  person  for  whom  the  saddle  is  being  meas- 
ured is  accustomed  to  ride  either  with  a  very  long  or  a  very 
short  stirrup,  the  measurements  should  be  taken  with  the  leg 
in  the  position  determined  by  the  customary  length  of  the 
stirrup-leather.  The  average  rider  will  find  the  correct 
length  by  adjusting  the  stirrup-leather  so  that  when  the  tips 
of  the  fingers  are  in  contact  with  the  spring  bars,  and  the 
arm  extended,  the  bottom  of  the  stirrup  will  just  reach  the 
armpit. 

THE    SHAPE. 

As  has  been  said  in  a  preceding  paragraph,  when  horses 
have  high  withers  the  saddle  should  be  cut  back  at  the 
pommel,  and  in  all  cases  the  appearance  of  the  saddle  is  en- 
hanced and  a  more  sloping  effect  given  to  the  horse's 
shoulder  by  having  this  part  slightly  cut  back.  (See  Fig.  86.) 
The  seat  of  the  saddle  should  have  a  "  dip "  suited  to  the 
conformation  of  the  rider,  but  the  "  dip  "  should  be  slight, 
as  the  closer  all  parts  of  the  saddle  are  to  the  horse's  back 
the  better  will  be  the  seat  of  the  rider.  For  the  same  rea- 
son saddles  with  broad  waists  are  objectionable ;  this,  how- 
ever, is  a  fault  too  frequently  met  with  even  in  well  made 
saddles.  The  rider  may  choose  a  saddle  with  knee  pads  or 
without  as  he  fancies  ;  the  former  gives  a  more  secure  hold 
to  a  beginner.  The  flaps  (see  Fig.  88)  should  be  cut  well 
forward,  but  not  to  such  an  extent  that  there  is  no  leather 
under  the  middle  of  the  thigh.  By  comparing  Figs.  88  and 


THE   SHAPE. 


223 


FIG.   88. 


FIG.  89. 


224  THE  FITTING  AND    CONSTRUCTION. 

89  the  points  described  above  will  be  more  readily  under- 
stood. 

"  I  will  give  the  reader  a  hint,  by  attending  to  which  he  will  derive  con- 
siderable advantage ;  (it  is  on  a  trifling  difference  in  the  lower  flap  of  a 
saddle,  yet  one  I  never  saw  attended  to  by  the  best  judges  in  such  mat- 
ters;) it  is  this : 

"  I  think  it  must  be  quite  clear  that,  supposing  two  men  —  one  five  feet 
three,  and  another  five  feet  eleven  —  were  both  well  proportioned,  were  both 
to  get  into  their  saddles,  the  leg  of  the  tall  man  must  come  lower  down  on 
the  flap  of  the  saddle  than  that  of  the  short  one.  Supposing  these  were 
each  to  order  a  saddle  of  an  eminent  maker,  desiring  it  to  be  about  sixteen 
or  seventeen  inches,  and  with  its  appendages  to  weigh  twelve  or  thirteen 
pounds — about  the  usual  weight  of  a  hunting  saddle  —  the  lower  flap  of  each 
would  be  stuffed  and  made  alike.  What  is  the  consequence  ?  We  should 
see  the  calf  of  the  leg  of  the  short  man  touching  —  in  fact,  resting  against 
—  the  lower  part  of  the  saddle  flap  and  he  gets  a  firm  hold  by  it ;  but  the 
same  part  of  the  leg  of  the  tall  man  coming  still  lower  down,  it  is  just  oppo- 
site to  that  part  of  the  flap  which  is  the  thinnest,  and  where,  in  fact,  except 
before  the  leg,  there  is  no  stuffing  at  all ;  consequently,  the  same  part  of  his 
leg  will  be  an  inch  away  from  that  part  of  the  flap,  and  not  rest  on  it  like 
the  other's  (if  on  occasion  it  is  wanted  to  do  so),  to  give  an  additional  grip 
of  his  horse,  unless,  indeed,  he  was  bow-legged.  A  man  with  a  large  calf 
could  get  this  hold  ;  but  suppose,  like  me,  he  happens  to  be  one  of  '  the 
lean  kine,'  and  what  over-calf  he  carries  about  with  him  is  anywhere  but  on 
his  legs,  he  can  only  rely  on  his  knees,  in  a  general  way." — Charles  Brind- 
ley,  "  Practical  Horsemanship"  p.  no. 

THE    FITTING     AND    CONSTRUCTION. 

The  proper  fitting  of  the  saddle  used  for  riding  is  of  even 
greater  importance  than  that  of  the  collar  for  driving.  The 
chief  reasons  are :  first,  no  weight  should  fall  on  the  horse's 
spine;  second,  all  weight  should  be  evenly  distributed;  and 
third,  the  shape  of  the  saddle  should  correspond  to  the  lines 
of  the  horse's  back,  so  that  the  saddle  will  remain  in  place 


THE  FITTING  AND    CONSTRUCTION.  225 

without  the  girth  being  unduly  tight.  Therefore  the  tree 
should  be  fitted  before  being  covered.  It  should  be  wide 
and  high  enough  to  raise  the  seat  well  off  of  the  horse's  spine 
and  withers,  and  be  shaped  so  that  all  parts  bear  evenly. 
If  the  horse  has  very  high  withers,  the  saddle  should  be  cut 
back  at  the  pommel  and  the  points  of  the  tree  sloped  forward. 
The  gullet  plate  in  all  well  made  saddles  is  strong  enough  to 
bear  the  weight  of  the  rider  without  spreading ;  but  in 
inferior  ones,  or  in  those  that  have  been  bent  by  the  horse 
being  turned  in  a  small  place  after  the  girths  have  been 
tightened,  the  original  shape  is  often  so  changed  that  the 
withers  become  chafed  from  the  pressure  which  is  in  conse- 
quence brought  upon  them.  The  stuffing  should  be  of 
curled  horsehair,  comparatively  thin  and  free  from  lumps. 

"  I  can  strongly  recommend  the  method  adopted  by  Mr.  Nicholls,  the 
London  saddler,  of  covering  the  pannel  of  a  saddle  with  leather  on  that  por- 
tion which  rests  on  the  back.  The  part  of  the  pannel  which  lies  usually 
between  the  flaps  and  the  horse's  sides  is  replaced  by  a  simple  thickness  of 
leather,  an  arrangement  which  allows  the  rider's  knees  to  get  much  closer 
than  they  usually  can  to  the  animal's  sides.  With  such  saddles  the  pannels 
always  remain  dry  and  elastic." — Captain  Hayes,  "  Riding"  p.  234. 

Whenever  the  opportunity  presents  itself  it  is  advisable, 
when  purchasing  a  horse,  to  buy  the  saddle  as  well,  provid- 
ing it  fits  and  is  in  a  good  state  of  preservation.  An  old 
saddle  is  softer  and  more  comfortable  than  a  new  one  until 
the  latter  is  "  broken  in."  On  this  point,  Charles  Brindley 
says  in  "  The  Pocket  and  the  Stud,"  p.  96 : 

"  Whenever  I  bought  a  horse,  if  the  saddle  he  had  been  accustomed  to 
be  ridden  with  pleased  me,  I  generally  bought  that  also  if  I  could." 

Three  girth-tugs  are  usually  fastened  to  the  tree  between 
the  flaps  and  the  sweat-flaps  on  both  sides  of  the  saddle. 


226  THE  STIRRUP-LEATHER. 

In  cheap  grades  sometimes  only  one  or  two  girth-tugs  are 
attached  ;  in  racing  saddles  of  light  weight,  the  tugs  are 
omitted  and  the  girth  is  placed  over  the  seat  of  the  saddle 
and  the  ends  buckled  together.  The  lining  or  pannel  is 
"  laced,"  i.  e.,  sewed  to  the  tree,  in  order  to  avoid  the  use  of 
nails  or  other  metal  fastenings  which  might  become  loose 
and  result  in  injury  to  the  horse's  back.  Six  small  rivets 
are  generally  used  to  hold  the  skirt,  and  parts  under  it,  in 
place.  These  rivets  are  placed  three  on  each  side,  one  near 
the  end  of  the  pommel  and  another  just  below  it  and  the 
third  below  the  seat  a  little  back  of  the  widest  part.  Staples 
are  generally  fastened  on  each  side  of  the  pommel  in  front 
of  the  skirts  or  on  the  edge  of  the  seat  at  the  widest  part. 

THE    STIRRUP-LEATHER.* 

The  stirrup-leather  should  be  of  soft,  pliable  and  strong 
leather.  The  dimensions  are  usually  determined  by  the 
weight  of  the  rider.  A  stirrup-leather  for  a  man  of  average 
height  and  weight  is  about  an  inch  and  a  half  wide,  and  a 
little  over  four  feet  long  from  the  buckle  to  the  end  of  the 
point.  A  double  or  bar  buckle  of  steel  should  be  used  on 
the  upper  end  of  which  is  a  revolving  band  (see  Fig.  90), 
and  not  the  single  buckle  which  is  shown  in  Fig.  91.  The 
double  buckle  is  divided  in  the  middle  with  a  bar  on 
which  the  tongue  works;  after  the  end  of  the  stirrup-leather 
is  fastened,  the  point  may  be  passed  through  the  opening 
between  the  bar  and  the  lower  end  of  the  buckle.  If  the 
buckle  is  plated  it  soon  becomes  shabby  by  the  scaling  off  of 
the  plate,  but  when  made  of  steel  it  can  be  burnished  and 
kept  as  bright  as  any  of  the  other  solid  metal  parts. 

*  For  Stirrups  and  Spurs,  see  pp.  234-237,  and  for  Girths,  see  p.  237. 


THE  STIRRUP  LEATHER. 


227 


FIG.    90. 


FIG.    91, 


228 


WOMEN'S  SADDLES. 


FIG.    92.* 

WOMEN'S  SADDLES. 

A  woman's  saddle  in  the  general  construction  of  the 
framework  is  not  unlike  that  for  a  man.  The  points  of 
special  importance  are  thus  described  by  Mrs.  M.  H.  Hayes 
in  her  book  "  The  Horse-woman,"  p.  9  et  seq. : 

"  The  saddle  should  maintain  its  position  by  the  proper  shape  of  the  tree 
and  by  the  points  of  the  tree  fitting  closely  the  horse's  sides,  just  behind  the 
shoulder  blades,  so  as  to  prevent  the  '  wobbling '  of  the  saddle.  The  fact 
that  the  distance  between  the  points  of  the  tree  should  be  equal  to  the  width 
of  that  portion  of  the  animal's  body  which  they  overlap,  is  the  reason  why  a 

*  From  "Hints  to  Horse-women." 


WOMEN'S  SADDLES.  229 

side  saddle,  other  things  being  equal,  \\ill  fit  far  fewer  horses  than  a  man's 
saddle,  in  which  there  is  little  or  no  side  play.  The  saddle  should  be  suffi- 
ciently long  for  the  rider,  which  it  generally  will  be  if  the  can  tie  is  about  one 
inch  clear  behind  her.  If  the  tree  be  too  short,  the  cantle,  at  fast  paces, 
will  be  forced  downwards  and  backwards  so  that  the  skin  just  behind  the 
saddle  will  be  liable  to  be  rumpled  and  bruised  at  each  stride ;  a  sore  back 
being  the  probable  result  in  a  short  time. 

"Though  the  greatest  care  should  be  taken  to  prevent  the  possibility  of 
the  gullet  plate  (the  iron  arch  at  the  pommel)  touching  the  withers,  so  long 
as  there  is  sufficient  space  left  to  obviate  such  an  accident,  there  is  no  need 
to  have  the  pommel  tilted  up  more  than  can  be  helped.  This  (the  arch  of 
the  gullet  being  too  narrow)  is  a  very  common  fault  in  side  saddles,  and 
is  one  to  which  sufficient  attention  has  not  been  directed.  The  off  front 
part  of  the  tree  should  be  shaped  so  as  to  minimize  the  chance  of  this  injury. 
It  is  a  good  plan  to  have  the  gullet  plate  cut  far  back,  so  as  to  leave  the 
withers  uncovered,  except  by  a  soft  pad  that  forms  the  continuation  of  the 
'safe'  (the  padded  front  piece  of  the  near  flap  of  a  side  saddle).  This 
arrangement  helps  to  make  the  seat  level.  Side  saddles  should  be  made 
with  the  seat  on  the  near  side  eased  off,  so  as  to  allow  the  rider's  left  leg  to 
get  close  to  the  horse.  The  near  side  of  the  cantle  is  also  made  a  little 
higher  than  the  off  side,  so  as  to  correct  any  tendency  there  may  be  to  sit 
too  much  over  the  near  side. 

"  Fashion  decrees  that  the  seat  of  the  saddle  when  on  the  horse  should 
lie  in  as  horizontal  a  position  as  possible.  To  obtain  this,  the  seat  of  the 
tree  (which  in  all  cases  should  follow  the  shape  of  that  portion  of  the  horse's 
back  upon  which  it  rests)  is  built  up  with  padding  so  as  to  make  it  more  or 
less  level  from  front  to  rear  and  as  flat  as  possible  across  the  seat,  while 
allowing  space  for  the  stirrup  leg.  The  pannel  or  under  part,  which  is  next 
the  horse,  should  not  be  too  much  stuffed  ;  for  if  it  is  the  saddle  will  be  liable 
to  shift  its  position.  The  '  level  seat  '  saddle  has  the  great  improvement 
of  a  cut  back  pommel.  Although  an  old-fashioned  saddle  is  uncomfortable 
on  account  of  the  right  knee  being  raised  to  an  undue  height,  I  think  that  an 
absolutely  level  seat  is  a  mistake,  for  it  affords  less  security  than  one  in  the 
seat  of  which  there  is  a  slight  depression  to  sit  in.  For  my  own  riding  I 
like  a  dip  of  about  two  inches  in  the  seat  of  the  saddle.  The  side  saddle 
has  two  crutches  on  the  left  side  of  the  front  part  of  the  tree  (the  wood  and 


230  WOMEN'S  SADDLES. 

iron  framework  of  the  saddle).  The  right  leg  is  placed  over  the  upper 
crutch  and  the  left  leg  presses  against  the  lower  crutch  which  is  technically 
called  the  leaping  head.  The  leaping  head  should  be  placed  so  that  it  may 
press,  when  required,  against  the  rider's  left  leg  a  little  above  the  knee ;  and 
it  should  be  sufficiently  separated  from  the  upper  crutch  to  afford  along  with 
it  a  firm  purchase.  The  shorter  the  rider's  limbs  the  nearer  should  the  leap- 
ing head  be  placed  to  the  upper  crutch.  If  the  two  be  'wide  apart  from  each 
other,  a  woman  whose  limb  is  short  will  probably  be  able  to  touch  the  leap- 
ing head  only  with  the  point  of  her  left  knee,  and  will  consequently  have  a 
very  insecure  seat  in  such  a  saddle.  The  leaping  head  should  be  attached 
to  the  saddle  by  a  screw  and  may  have  two  or  more  socket  holes,  so  that  the 
rider  can  regulate  the  angle  and  position  of  the  leaping  head  as  she  sees  fit. 
The  screw  should  be  thick  and  the  thread  particularly  deep  so  that  the  leap- 
ing head  may  not  work  loose,  which  would  cause  it  to  be  very  uncomfortable. 
The  leaping  head  should  be  sufficiently  long  and  strong  to  give  a  firm  bear- 
ing for  the  leg.  With  the  object  of  having  it  appear  'smart'  and  neat, 
many  saddlers  make  the  leaping  head  too  short  and  weak  for  safety  in  rough 
work  or  on  difficult  horses.  If  the  upper  crutch  be  very  long,  it  will  poke 
the  skirt  up  and  give  it  a  bad  appearance.  .At  the  same  time,  if  it  be  too 
short,  it  will  afford  an  insecure  grip  on  the  leg.  Hence  in  a  saddle  intended 
merely  for  purposes  of  show,  the  upper  crutch  may  be  shorter  than  in  one 
for  real  work. 

"The  stirrup-leather  may  be  attached  to  the  near  side  by  a  bar, 
which  may  or  may  not  be  of  the  safety  kind ;  or  it  may  pass  over  a 
roller  bar  and  be  connected  by  a  buckle  (in  reach  of  the  lady's  hand  when 
she  is  mounted),  with  a  strap  called  a  balance  strap,  which  comes  from  the 
off  side  of  the  cantle.  The  former  plan  possesses  the  great  advantage  of 
not  requiring  the  leather,  after  it  has  once  been  put  to  the  proper  length,  to 
be  altered  for  different  animals,  or  for  the  same  horse  when  he  gets  a  little 
slack  in  his  girth  from  work.  The  latter  theoretically  has  the  commenda- 
tion of  allowing  the  rider  to  lengthen  or  shorten  her  stirrup  as  she  wishes 
after  she  is  mounted  without  having  to  shift  the  position  of  her  legs.  In 
practice,  however,  the  undoing  of  the  buckle  and  the  pulling  up  of  the  strap 
(if  the  leather  has  to  be  shortened)  demand,  as  a  rule,  too  much  strength 
of  fingers  and  arm  for  a  lady  of  ordinary  physical  powers  to  accomplish 
easily.  The  balance  strap,  which  appears  to  have  a  good  effect  in  keeping 


WOMEN'S  SADDLES. 


231 


FIG.    93. 


FIG.    94, 


RULES    FOR   MEASURING. 

"The  lady  should  sit  with  her  back  close  to  a  wall,  and  the  distance  from 
the  wall  to  the  point  of  the  knee  measured  with  a  stiff  rule,  as  in  accompany- 
ing illustration.  This  measure  given  correctly  with  height  and  weight  of  lady 
will  enable  us  to  insure  a  perfect  fit. 

"Jf  ordering  new  saddle  from  a  saddle  in  use,  give  following  measure- 
ments :  length  from  back  of  upright  head  to  can  tie,  A  to  B,  and  width  of  seat 
across  saddle  at  widest  part,  from  C  to  D.  Give  height  and  weight  of  lady  ; 
also  if  horse  has  high  or  low  withers,  hollow,  round  or  straight  back,  also  if 
horse  is  accustomed  to  a  saddle" 


232  WOMEN'S  SADDLES. 

the  saddle  steady,  need  not  necessarily  be  connected  with  the  stirrup-leather, 
but  it  may  be  fixed  to  the  front  girth-strap  on  the  near  side  of  the  saddle. 
The  ideal  safety  bar  is  one,  firstly,  which  will  release  the  leather  instantly,  if 
in  the  event  of  a  fall  the  foot  gets  caught  in  the  iron ;  secondly,  which  will 
not  do  so  unless  such  an  accident,  happens.  In  park  riding  and  ordinary 
hacking  a  fall  is  such  an  unusual  circumstance  and  occurs  on  such  well 
known  grounds,  that  it  matters  little  if  the  leather  comes  out  as  a  necessary 
consequence  of  a  tumble.  In  the  hunting  field  and  in  hard  riding  abroad 
great  inconvenience  might  be  felt  if  the  leather  was  liable  to  become  re- 
leased whenever  the  rider  got  thrown ;  for  it  would  not  always  be  possible  to 


FIG.  95. 

find  the  stirrup  after  it  had  dropped  off.  Any  stirrup  bar  made  on  the  prin- 
ciple of  that  used  for  a  gentleman's  saddle  will  not  do  for  a  side  saddle. 
Although  it  can  be  made  so  as  to  obviate  with  certainty  the  risk  of  the 
rider's  getting  dragged,  the  leather  with  it  would  be  liable  to  slip  out  of 
the  bar,  if  the  lady  happened  to  draw  back  her  left  foot  a  little  more  than 
usual.  I  must  say,  however,  that  I  have  never  seen  any  bar  that  satisfies 
these  two  conditions." 


WOMEN'S  SADDLES.  233 

Mrs.  Annie  Blood-Smyth,  writing  under  the  pseudonym 
of  Mrs.  Henry  Allbutt,  says  in  "Hints  to  Horse-women, "p.  19: 

"Saddles  are  now  sometimes  made  weighing  as  little  as  fourteen  or 
fifteen  pounds,  but  such  very  light  ones  are  a  mistake,  what  you  gain  in  one 
way  you  lose  in  another,  and  the  saving  of  weight  is  effected  at  the  expense 
of  the  tree,  which  ought,  of  course,  to  be  as  strong  as  possible.  The  best 
saddle  I  ever  rode  in  weighed,  when  new,  eighteen  pounds ;  but  a  saddle,  after 
a  year  or  two  of  wear,  will  become  a  little  heavier.  This  is  the  right  weight 
for  a  really  good,  strong  saddle.  The  average  length  of  a  modern  saddle  is 
perhaps  nineteen  inches,  and  they  are  made  up  to  twenty-two,  so  it  will 
easily  be  understood  that  every  woman  should,  if  possible,  have  her  saddle 
made  for  her,  giving  when  she  orders  it  her  length  from  hip  to  knee,  and  if 
she  goes  to  a  man  who  understands  his  business  the  result  will  be  a  very 
comfortable  saddle. 

"  Again,  saddles  should  only  be  made  of  thoroughly  well  seasoned 
leather,  and  this,  naturally,  one  is  most  certain  to  obtain  from  a  firm  who 
do  a  large  business  and  who  can  afford  to  store  the  leather  until  it  is  fit 
for  use,  and  rest  assured  that  a  cheap  saddle,  though  it  costs  less  to  begin 
with,  will  always  be  dearest  in  the  end  and  is  apt  to  try  one's  temper  sorely 
as  it  becomes  daily  more  and  more  unsatisfactory.  If  you  ride  the  same 
horse  regularly  it  is  a  wise  precaution  to  get  your  saddle  specially  stuffed  to 
fit  him.  Always  have  your  saddle  lined  with  strong,  unbleached  linen,  brown 
Holland,  I  believe  it  is  usually  called.  This  is  by  far  the  best  stuff  to  use  and 
in  every  way  infinitely  superior  to  the  thick  warm  serge  generally  employed. 
Nowadays  an  air  channel  is  a  sine  qua  non  in  any  well  built  side  saddle. 
The  cutting  away  of  the  flaps  on  the  near  side  gives  the  rider  a  flatter  seat 
and  is  essentially  a  step  in  the  right  direction.  It  always  admits  of  better 
ventilation,  and  to  keep  a  horse's  back  cool  goes  a  long  way  towards  keeping 
it  sound. 

"  The  leaping  head  is  a  subject  that  requires  some  attention,  for  unless  it 
catches  you  in  the  right  place  it  is  useless  and  gives  no  grip  whatever.  It 
ought,  when  you  press  against  it,  to  catch  you  just  above  the  knee,  but  if  you 
are  tall  it  won't  do  this  unless  you  have  it  specially  so  arranged.  Usually  any 
saddle  except  my  own  catches  me  higher  up,  which  is  useless.  And  it  makes 
a  vast  difference  whether  you  can  catch  a  grip  or  whether  your  leg  slips 


234  STIRRUP  IRONS. 

under  the  leaping  head,  as  it  assuredly  will  do  if  it  is  too  high  up.  So  if  you 
are  tall  and  long  legged  have  it  lower  down  than  it  generally  is.  But  no 
matter  what  your  height  is,  have  it  only  just  sufficiently  bent  to  allow  you  to 
fit  easily  under  it.  If  too  high  it  will  bruise  you  horribly ;  and  on  the  other 
hand,  if  it  is  too  big  it  will  interfere  with  the  sit  of  your  habit.  Have  the 
horn  at  the  top  cut  just  the  right  height,  and  no  more.  Unnecessary  height 
is  useless  and  only  makes  an  unsightly  hump. 

"  The  best  way  to  attach  your  stirrup  is  to  have  a  strap  on  the  off  side  of 
your  saddle  just  behind  the  second  D.  To  this  strap  fasten  your  stirrup- 
ieather,  which  should  come  round  over  the  girths  and  be  buckled  into  it. 
This  plan  has  a  great  advantage  over  the  old  one.  With  it  you  cannot  drag 
your  saddle  crooked ;  no  matter  how  heavily  you  lean  on  the  stirrup  you 
merely  tighten  the  saddle,  and  at  the  same  time  keep  it  straight.  For  by 
this  contrivance  the  weight  and  pull  come  evenly,  instead  of  all  on  one  side, 
for  which  boon,  if  he  could  speak,  your  horse  would  doubtless  express  the 
deepest  gratitude.  Every  saddle  should  have  four  D's,  two  in  front  for  the 
breast-plate  and  two  on  the  off  side  just  behind  the  flap,  for  the  little  flask 
and  sandwich  case  ;  without  which  it  is  never  wise  to  start  for  a  long  day. 

"  While  doeskin  seats  are  still  to  be  seen,  happily  such  sights  are  becom- 
ing daily  more  uncommon.  Never  have  a  pocket  for  a  handkerchief  in  the 
off  side  of  your  saddle ;  it  spoils  the  look  of  it  completely,  and  to  say  the 
least,  a  little  fluttering  colored  rag  is  no  set  off  to  a  saddle,  but  on  the  con- 
trary is  most  unsightly,  and  when  it  is  absent  the  slit  alone  is  more  than  suf- 
ficient to  mar  the  perfect  plainness  it  should  be  our  object  to  aim  at.  I  ad- 
mit that  this  small  pocket  is  a  convenient  place  to  carry  a  handkerchief  in, 
but  for  all  that  you  must  find  another,  even  at  the  expense  of  a  little  com- 
fort. Never  mind  '  il  faut  souffrir  pour  etre  belle'  All  these  little  details 
may  appear  trifling,  but  inattention  to  them  considerably  alters  the  effect  of 
the  whole." 

STIRRUP   IRONS. 

For  men's  saddles  they  should  be  of  the  best  forged  steel, 
and  large  enough  to  enable  the  rider,  in  case  of  accident,  to 
readily  release  his  foot.  There  is  great  danger  in  using  a 
stirrup  in  which  the  foot  is  likely  to  get  jammed  if  "  thrust 
home,"  i.  e.,  pushed  through  the  stirrup  as  far  as  the  instep 


STIRRUP  IRONS. 


235 


and  heel  of  the  boot  will  allow.  The  weight  should  be  such 
as  to  make  the  stirrup  steady,  in  order  that  the  stirrup  can 
be  easily  caught  by  the  foot  when  the  horse  is  moving.  The 
average  sized  stirrup  should  weigh  about  sixteen  or  eighteen 
ounces.  The  shape  of  the  tread  varies.  For  ordinary  use, 
the  oval  form,  open  in  the  centre  and  with  the  upper  surface 
roughened  or  the  edges  sharply  bevelled,  is  a  very  good  pat- 
tern. The  addition  of  a  bar  through  the  centre,  and  the 
upright  sides  broadened  to  the  height  of  a  little  more  than  an 
inch,  gives  a  firm  grip  and  is  more  comfortable  for  hard 
riding.  Stirrup  irons  made  with  solid  flat  treads  never  afford 
a  firm  foothold.  A  rider  advanced  in  years  often  prefers  the 


FIG.    96. 


FIG.    97. 


use  of  a  rubber  pad  in  place  of  the  roughened  surface,  as 
the  former  is  less  likely  to  slip  from  the  foot,  and  affords  a 
softer  point  of  leverage.  The  opening  for  the  stirrup-leather 
should  not  be  curved  as  it  twists  the  leathers  out  of  shape 
so  that  they  do  not  lie  flat  when  shortened  or  let  out. 


236 


SPt/XS. 


SPURS. 

The  beginner  is  advised  to  avoid  the  use  of  spurs  until, 
having  obtained  a  good  seat,  he  is  thoroughly  "  at  home  "  on 
his  horse.  It  is  not  at  all  a  bad  plan  to  begin  with  the  dull 


FIG.  98. 


FIG.  99. 


polo  spur,  the  shank  of  which  is  made  without  a  rowel.  All 
spurs  for  park  riding  or  hunting  should  be  made  of  steel  and 
the  shank  should  be  short ;  there  is  no  advantage  in  a  long 
one,  and  the  chance  of  unintentionally  spurring  the  horse  is 


GIRTHS,  SADDLE-CLOTHS  AND  NUMNAHS.  237 

increased.  The  rowel  should  be  small,  the  depth  of  the 
point  is  a  matter  of  personal  fancy.  At  the  ends  of  the  parts 
passing  around  the  heel  there  should  be  flat-headed  buttons 
with  moderately  long  necks  to  receive  the  straps  which  pass 
under  and  over  the  instep. 

GIRTHS. 

Girths  are  for  the  purpose  of  fastening  the  saddle  to  the 
horse's  back  and  are  made  of  brown  or  white  webbing, 
leather,  rawhide  or  cord.  (See  Figs.  100,  101.)  The  girth 
most  popular  and  the  best  for  ordinary  conditions  is  called  the 
Fitzwilliam.  (See  Fig.  100.)  It  is  made  of  webbing  and  con- 
sists of  a  broad  under  girth  about  five  inches  wide,  it  has  a 
loop  of  leather  attached  transversely  near  both  ends  and  two 
buckles  fastened  by  leather  strips  sewed  to  the  webbing,  the 
average  length  is  three  feet  nine  inches.  Over  this  broad 
girth  a  narrower  and  trifle  shorter  one  is  placed  through  the 
loops  of  the  under  girth  and  has  a  buckle  at  both  ends. 
The  length  of  this  girth  is  about  three  feet  six  inches  and 
about  three  and  a  quarter  inches  wide.  The  plain  leather 
girth,  although  favored  by  some  few  good  horsemen,  is  open 
to  the  objection  of  its  being  very  apt  to  cut  the  horse,  espe- 
cially a  delicate  skinned  one.  Girths  made  of  plaited  raw- 
hide and  cord  (see  Fig.  101)  are  very  good  as  they  are  cool 
and  strong.  The  girth  buckle  should  be  a  double  or  bar 
buckle  (see  Fig.  90),  not  a  single  buckle  like  in  Fig.  91. 
Girths  vary  in  length,  the  girth  measure  of  the  horse  should 
be  taken  with  the  saddle  in  place. 

SADDLE-CLOTHS    AND    NUMNAHS. 

Both  saddle-cloths    and  numnahs  are  pads  used  under 


238 


GIRTHS. 


FIG.    IOO. 


FIG.    101. 


SADDLE  APPURTENANCES.  239 

the  riding  saddle,  and  are  intended  to  protect  the  pannel  or 
lining  of  the  saddle  from  the  sweat  of  the  horse.  (See  Fig. 
102.)  The  objection  to  saddle-cloths  is  that  they  are  heating 


FIG.    102. 


and  fill  up  the  channel  over  the  backbone,  in  consequence  of 
both  of  which  faults  they  render  the  horse's  back  liable  to  sore- 
ness. The  numnah  is  made  of  a  single  thickness  of  leather 
shaped  the  same  .as  the  saddle  and  extending  one  or  two 
inches  beyond  it  on  all  sides.  The  leather  is  often  perfo- 
rated with  the  object  of  giving  a  free  circulation  of  air. 
Saddle-cloths  and  numnahs  are  fastened  to  the  saddle  by 
means  of  a  strap  which  passes  around  the  sweat-flap  on  each 
side  and  is  fastened  by  a  buckle. 

SADDLE    APPURTENANCES. 

These  are  usually  limited  to  the  hunting  horn  and  case, 
the  spirit  flask  and  case  or  holster  and  the  sandwich  case. 


240 


SADDLE   APPURTENANCES. 


FIG.    103. 


FIG.    104, 


These  are  shown  in  Figs.  103-107.  The  best  means  of  at- 
taching any  one  of  these  fittings  is  by  a  strap  fastened  to 
the  staple  in  front  of  the  skirt  of  the  saddle,  and  passing 
the  girth  through  a  loop  on  a  broad  flap  attached  to  the 


FIG.    1 06. 


FIG.    107. 


THE  LEATHER  AND  PARTS. 


241 


lower  part  of  the  fitting.  In  women's  saddles  D's  are  placed 
on  the  edge  of  the  seat  on  the  off  side  between  the  waist 
and  the  cantle,  to  which  these  attachments  are  fastened. 

THE    LEATHER. 

Bridles  should  always  be  made  from  well  seasoned  leather 
that  has  been  pressed  and  is  soft  and  pliable.  The  thickness 
of  the  leather  used  in  a  bridle  is  no  proof  of  its  strength,  in 
fact  the  leather  should  be  thin  but  made  so  by  being  well 
pressed  while  in  the  hands  of  the  saddler.  It  should  be 
noticed  that  in  the  following  dimensions  given  of  the  parts 
of  a  bridle,  the  reins  of  a  woman's  bridle  are  somewhat  nar- 
rower than  those  for  a  man's. 


FIG.     1 08. 


THE    PARTS. 

A  single  bridle  consists  of  a  headstall,  i.  e.y  a  crown- 
piece,  cheek-pieces,  front,  throat-latch  and  nose-band  (option- 
al). A  double  bridle,  besides  the  above,  has  a  bridoon-head, 
to  which  the  bridoon  bit  is  fastened,  and  consists  of  a  piece 


242 


THE  BUCKLES. 


of  leather  with  buckles  on  one  or  preferably  both  sides,  by 
means  of  which  its  length  is  adjusted.  The  bridoon-head 
passes  under  the  crown-piece  and  behind  the  cheek-piece 
of  the  headstall. 


THE    BUCKLES. 


The  buckles  on  the  bridle  are  either  plated  or  covered 
with  leather.  The  latter  present  a  neater  appearance  and 
are  almost  as  durable.  The  cheek-pieces  of  some  bridles 
are  made  without  billets,  the  bit  or  bits  being  sewed  in. 


FIG.  109. 


FIG.    1 10. 


FIG.    III. 


These  are  very  neat  and  may  be  employed  when  an  owner 
has  a  number  of  bridles,  but  this  form  does  not  admit  of 
the  bits  being  readily  changed,  and  moreover  requires  more 
time  and  care  in  scouring  and  burnishing. 

"  I  advocate  what  buckles  are  necessary  to  a  bridle  being  a  long  square 
(if  I  may  use  the  term)  ;  whether  they  are  prettier  or  the  reverse  than  the 
rounded  ones  is  mere  matter  of  taste.  I  think  they  look  workmanlike,  be- 
cause there  is  a  sensible  advantage  in  them.  They  do  not  bend  the  reins, 
do  not  wear  its  edges,  and  when  wanted  to  be  shifted,  run  more  easily, 
and  admit  of  rollers  to  enable  them  to  do  so." — Charles  Brind.ey,  "Practi- 
cal Horsemanship"  p.  105. 


THE  REINS  AND  DIMENSIONS  OF  BRIDLE.          243 
THE    REINS. 

The  rein  for  the  snaffle  or  bridoon  is  usually  made  with 
a  buckle  at  the  hand  end  so  that,  when  used  with  a  run- 
ning martingale,  small  stiff  pieces  of  leather,  called  "stops," 
about  half  an  inch  wide  and  two  inches  and  a  quarter  long, 
may  be  run  over  the  reins  to  a  point  in  front  of  the  rings 
of  the  martingale.  When  a  double  bridle  is  used  the  hand 
ends  of  the  curb-rein  are  generally  sewed  together.  Red, 
green  or  white  enamel  leather  fronts  may  be  used  in  place 
of  the  brown  leather  one.  (See  Figs.  109,  no,  in.) 

When  a  number  of  horses  are  kept  or  the  horses  fre- 
quently changed,  it  will  be  necessary  to  keep  a  fair  sized 
assortment  of  bits  and  bridles.  On  this  subject,  Charles 
Brindley  says  : 

"  If  people  are  contented  to  ride  or  drive  horses  in  bridles  and  bits  that 
do  not  suit  their  mouths,  of  course  a  very  few  will  do;  but  if  we. want 
horses  to  go  pleasantly,  each  must  have  his  bridle,  for  though  a  horse  may 
go  moderately  well  in  a  certain  bridle,  a  man  with  nice  hands  and  who  is 
particular  as  to  how  he  is  carried,  will  not  rest  till  he  finds  the  bridle  that 
exactly  suits." — "  The  Pocket  and  the  Stud" p.  95. 

DIMENSIONS    OF    BRIDLE    OF    AVERAGE-SIZED    HORSE. 

FEET.  INCHES. 

Crown-piece,  length i     .  .  3^ 

Crown-piece,  width .  .  i  ^ 

Front,  length i  .  5 

Front,  width    .     .     .     .     ..:...„ i 

Cheek-pieces,  length      . .  .  10 

Cheek-pieces,  width .  .  %" 

Throat-latch,  length 2     .  .  4 

Throat-latch,  width .  .        i^ 

Nose-band,  length 2     .  .  4 

Nose-band,  width .  ^ 


244  MARTINGALES. 

FEET.  INCHES. 

Snaffle  or  bridoon  reins,  length 4.  .10 

Snaffle  or  bridoon  reins,  width .  .       ^ 

Curb-rein,  length 4     .  .  10 

Curb-rein,  width .  .       ^ 

Reins  for  a  woman's  bridle,  width .  .       $/% 

MARTINGALES. 

Martingales  are  of  two  forms,  the  standing  and  the 
running.  The  former  consists  of  a  piece  of  narrow  leather 
at  one  end  of  which  is  a  loop  through  which  the  broader  of 
the  two  saddle-girths  passes  ;  at  the  other  end  a  ring  is 
sewed  to  which  the  ends  of  the  neck-strap  are  attached. 
This  latter  strap  usually  has  a  buckle  for  adjusting  the 
length,  and  is  frequently  made  with  a  ring,  separating  the 
strap  on  both  sides  of  the  withers,  for  attaching  the  neck- 
strap  to  the  saddle  by  short  loop  straps  coming  from  the  D's 
on  the  sides  of  the  saddle.  From  the  ring  in  the  neck-strap 
at  the  breast  is  an  adjustable  loop,  which  extends  either  to 
the  under  part  of  the  nose-band,  or  is  split  and  has  billets 
or  snap  hooks  on  the  end  by  which  it  is  attached  to  the  bit. 
The  running  martingale  (see  Figs.  112  and  113)  differs  from 
the  standing  in  that  a  piece  of  leather,  with  a  buckle  at  the 
free  end,  is  sewed  into  the  ring  of  the  neck-strap,  and  at- 
tached to  a  piece  of  narrow,  split  leather  at  the  ends  of 
which  are  sewed  rings  that  take  the  snaffle-rein.  The  buck- 
les and  rings  of  the  martingale  are  either  plated  or  leather 
covered.  They  should  match  those  of  the  bridle. 

Regarding  the  purpose  and  the  effect  of  martingales. 
Captain  M.  H.  Hayes  says : 

"  The  standing  martingale  is  attached  to  the  nose-band ;  or  its  billets 
at  each  side  may  be  fixed  to  the  snaffle  rings.  The  latter  form  is  a  very  use- 


MARTINGALES. 


FIG.    112. 


FIG.    113. 


246  MARTINGALES. 

ful  preventative  of  rearing  and  should  be  employed  in  preference  to  the 
other;  because  it  teaches  a  horse  to  save  his  mouth  by  bending  his  neck. 
The  standing  martingale  should,  as  a  rule,  be  used  only  with  horses  that 
require  some  such  restraint  to  prevent  them  from  star-gazing,  'chucking up1 
their  heads,  rearing,  or  for  feats  of  manege  riding.  Its  use,  within  proper 
limits,  for  keeping  a  horse's  head  down  can  in  no  way  be  dangerous  even 
when  « crossing  a  country  ' ;  this  form  of  martingale,  with  a  troublesome  horse 
that  requires  its  employment,  relieves  the  rider's  hands  and  arms  of  a  great 
deal  of  disagreeable  exertion.  The  use  of  the  standing  martingale,  at- 
tached to  the  rings  of  the  snaffle,  is  to  prevent  the  horse  from  getting  the 
mouth-piece  off  the  bars  of  the  mouth,  if  he  attempts  to  do  so  by  rais- 
ing his  head.  Therefore  we  should  employ  it  lengthened  out  as  much 
as  we  can  without  allowing  the  animal  the  chance  of  shifting  the  mouth- 
piece from  the  bars  on  to  the  corners  of  the  mouth.  Personally  I  would 
never  use  the  standing  martingale  attached  to  the  nose-band ;  for  I  have 
always  found  it  act  much  better  when  fixed  to  the  rings  of  the  snaffle. 
Fond  as  I  am  of  the  standing  martingale,  I  would  advise  that  it  should 
never  be  employed  when  going  out  for  a  ride  on  a  horse  that  is  wholly  igno- 
rant of  its  action ;  for,  if  he  jerks  up  his  head,  he  may  throw  himself  back 
on  feeling  the  unaccustomed  restraint.  I  once  saw  a  lady,  who  is  a  fine 
rider,  very  nearly  killed  by  this  accident. 

"The  uses  of  the  running  martingale  are:  (i)  to  aid  the  hands  and 
arms  in  keeping  the  horse's  head  down;  (2)  to  increase  the  power  of  the 
rider  in  holding  his  head  straight ;  (3)  to  retain  the  reins  in  their  place,  and 
to  prevent  either  of  them  from  getting  over  the  neck.  With  the  first  object 
in  view  the  martingale  may  be  adjusted  so  as  to  allow  the  direction  of  the 
pull  of  the  reins  to  be  in  a  line  with  the  top  of  the  withers.  With  horses 
which  keep  their  heads  sufficiently  low,  the  martingale  should  be  somewhat 
longer,  so  that  it  may  not  cramp  the  action  of  the  head  in  any  way.  A 
rider,  by  an  extra  expenditure  of  strength,  may  keep  his  head  low  enough  to 
be  able  to  dispense  with  a  martingale  for  holding  the  horse's  head  down  ;  but 
do  what  he  chooses  he  will  not  have  the  same  power  to  keep  him  straight 
as  he  would  have  with  one  on.  Of  course  I  am  referring  to  free,  '  flippant ' 
goers,  and  not  to  '  slugs.'  I  strongly  advocate  the  use  of  the  running  mar- 
tingale. If  '  stops '  be  not  on  reins  which  have  buckles,  the  ends  of  the 
straps  (billets)  of  the  buckles  should  be  withdrawn  out  of  their  keepers  so 


COST  OF  SADDLES,  BRIDLES,  ETC.  247 

that  the  rings  of  the  martingale  may  not  catch  on  the  buckles,  which  might 

lead  to  a  serious  accident  with  an  impetuous  horse." —  "  Riding"  p.  219 
et  seq. 

COST    OF    SADDLES,  BRIDLES,  ETC. 

MEN'S  SADDLES. 

Park  saddle  with  stirrup  irons  and  girths,  about $40.00 

Very  light  weight  hunting  saddle  with  stirrup  irons  and  girths,  about  50.00 

Exercising  saddle                                "       "           "        "         "         "  25.00 

STIRRUP-LEATHERS. 

Park  or  hunting  leathers,  per  pair .  3.50 

Exercising               "             "             2.50 

WOMEN'S  SADDLES. 

Park  saddle  with  stirrup  iron  and  girths,  about 75-oo 

Hunting  "       "       "         "                "             " 100.00 

GIRTHS. 

Fitzwilliam  girths,  per  pair 4.00 

Rawhide  or  whipcord  girth 2.50 

Single  exercising  girth 1.50 

NUMNAHS. 

Leather  j  For  a  man'S  saddle 4'5° 

1  For  a  woman's  saddle 6.00 

Fawn  or  felt  f  For  a  man's  saddle   ....          3.50 

saddle-cloths  (  For  a  woman's  saddle    ...          4-5o 

BRIDLES. 

Single,  without  bits,  about 5 .00 

Double,    "         "        " 7.50 

MARTINGALES. 

Standing,  about 5.00 

Running,     " 6.00 


248  COST  OF  SADDLES,  BRIDLES,  ETC. 

STIRRUP   IRONS. 

Men's  irons,  per  pair,  about $3.50 

Women's  safety  stirrup,  about 5.00 

Rubber  pads  for  tread  of  stirrups 1.50 

SPURS. 

Men's,  per  pair,  about 3.00 

Women's,  single  spur,  about 2.00 

SADDLE   APPURTENANCES. 

Hunting  horn  and  case,  about 6.50 

Spirit  flask         "       "         "         .     .     .     . 8.50 

Sandwich  box   "       "         " 9.00 


CHAPTER  X. 

BITS. 

THE    CONSTRUCTION    OF    DRIVING    AND    RIDING    BITS,    THE 
VARIOUS    TYPES,    CURB-CHAINS    AND    COST. 

BITS,  in  the  control  of  the 
horse,  may  be  considered  the 
key.  If  they  fit  they  lay  be- 
fore the  owner  an  extensive 
field  of  pleasant  diversion,  but 
if  they  are  not  right  the  value 
of  the  horse  is  beyond  the 
reach  of  the  rider  or  driver. 
On  the  other  hand,  many  own- 
ers, supposing  they  were  the 
possessors  of  an  equine  treas- 
ure, have  had  innumerable  con- 
trivances made  in  their  en- 
deavor to  find  a  key  to  an  imaginary  prize.  Hence  the 
variety  of  modifications  and  elaborations  in  the  forms  of  bits 
is  almost  endless. 

"  A  bit,  whether  for  riding  or  driving,  should  be  of  such  a  shape  and 
dimensions,  and  fitted  on  in  such  a  manner  as  to  control  a  horse  with  the 
least  possible  effort  of  the  rider  or  driver.  These  essentials  may  be  ob- 
tained in  the  highest  degree  without  irritating  the  animal.  Unfortunately, 
from  sheer  carelessness  and  ignorance,  a  great  deal  of  cruelty  is  daily 
practised  on  the  horses  of  the  higher  and  richer  classes,  in  the  way  of  ill- 
proportioned,  ill-shaped,  extravagantly  large,  heavy  and  misfitting  bits,  which, 
drawn  tight  by  bearing-reins  on  the  gag  principle,  convert  them  into  instru- 

249 


250 


THE  MOUTH-PIECE. 


ments  of  torture,  cultivate  vice,  and  create  unsoundness.  The  names  of 
bits  are  legion,  but  they  are  constructed  either  on  the  principle  of  the  snaffle 
or  the  curb  or  a  combination  of  both." — S.  Sidney,  "The  Book  of  the 
Horse"  p.  306. 


B  A 

FIG.    114. 


FIG.    114. 

1  Eye   for   billet   of    headstall    and 

for  curb  hook. 

2  Upper  arm  of  cheek. 

3  Mouth-piece. 

4  Canon. 

5  Port. 

6  Lower  arm  of  cheek-piece. 

7  Lip-strap  loop. 

8  Curb-rein  ring. 

9  Slide  for  movable  mouth-piece. 


THE    MOUTH-PIECE. 

The  mouth-piece  varies  in  length  between  three  and 
three  quarters  and  five  inches.  Although  Major  Francis 
Dwyer,  in  "  Seats  and  Saddles,"  places  the  limit  at  four  and 
a  half  inches,  the  writer  has  encountered  horses  that  required 
a  mouth-piece  measuring  five  inches.  In  all  cases  the  length 
should  be  determined  by  the  width  of  the  horse's  mouth. 
The  cheek-pieces  should  fit  snugly  but  without  pressing 
against  the  sides  of  the  mouth  ;  about  an  eighth  of  an  inch 
play  should  be  allowed  between  the  lips  and  the  cheek- 
pieces.  The  thicker  the  mouth-piece  the  less  severe  will 
its  action  be  on  the  tongue,  bars  of  the  mouth  and  lips.  The 
principal  forms  in  which  mouth-pieces  are  made  is  shown 
in  Fig.  1 15. 


MO  UTH-PIE  CES. 


251 


Straight  Bar. 


Greenwood. 


Double  and 
Twisted. 


Chain. 


FIG.    115. 
MOUTH-PIECES. 


252    THE  PORT  AND  COVERING  FOR  MOUTH-PIECES. 

THE  JOINTED  MOUTH-PIECE  consists  of  two  sec- 
tions in  the  form  of  segments,  the  inner  ends  of 
which  terminate  in  rings  and  are  linked  together; 
this  is  the  most  effective  mouth-piece  for  a  single 
bit,  as  almost  all  the  pressure  acts  on  the  bars. 

THE  GRIDIRON  is  an  attachment  rather  than  a 
distinct  form  of  bit  and  is  used  on  the  stiff  types 
of  mouth-pieces  for  the  purpose  of  preventing  the 
horse  from  getting  his  tongue  over  the  mouth- 
piece. It  revolves  on  both  sides  of  the  port  and 
FIG.  116.  is  blocked  so  as  to  prevent  it  from  turning  for- 
ward. (See  Fig.  116.) 

THE  PORT. 

The  port  is  for  either  of  one  of  two  purposes.  First,  to 
take  the  pressure  off  of  the  horse's  tongue,  in  which  case 
the  curve  is  made  slight,  about  three  eighths  of  an  inch  at  the 
deepest  point,  and  about  one  and  a  half  inches  wide  at 
the  bottom.  Care  must  be  taken  to  prevent  the  corners  of 
the  port  bearing  on  the  bars  of  the  mouth ;  the  canons 
should  be  long  enough  to  cover  this  part.  Second,  in  driv- 
ing bits  the  port  is  often  made  very  high  in  order  to  get  a 
bearing  against  the  roof  of  the  mouth  and  it  is  used  with  a 
tight  nose-band.  This  exaggerated  form  of  mouth-piece  is 
brutal,  there  is  no  other  word  to  describe  it,  and  any  horse 
that  cannot  be  held  by  a  less  severe  form  is  unfit  for  the  use 
of  the  private  horse  owner. 

COVERING    FOR    MOUTH-PIECES. 

Soft  leather  and  rubber  are  employed  as  coverings  to  the 
mouth-piece  to  temper  its  action.  When  either  material  is 


CHEEK-PIECES. 


253 


Plain  Ring. 


Ring  with 
Barrel  Brace. 


Double  or 
Four  Ring. 


Double  Ring 
with  Double 
Mouth-Piece. 


Full. 


Full  with 
Barrel  Brace. 


Half. 


FIG.    117. 
CHEEK- PIECES. 


254  THE    CHEEK-PIECES. 

used  it  is  advisable  to  have  the  covering  put  on  after  the  bit 
has  been  examined  and  tested  in  order  that  any  flaws  or 
weakness  in  the  metal  may  be  detected. 


FIG.    1 1 8.  r 

Curb  driving  bits  should  be  preferably  made  with  a  square 
opening  for  a  square  slide,  as  it  very  often  happens  that  a 
horse  throwing  his  head  to  one  side  changes  the  angle  of 
the  cheek-piece  with  the  curb-chain.  The  latter  is  always 
most  effectively  acted  upon  when  it  and  the  cheek-piece  are 
at  right  angles  to  each  other. 

THE    CHEEK-PIECES. 

Cheek-pieces  (see  Fig.  114  A  and  Fig.  117)  serve  two 
purposes:  i.  To  offer  a  lever  by  which  the  port  and  curb- 
chain  are  brought  into  action.  2.  To  act  as  guides  by  their 
pressure  against  the  lips  when  either  rein  is  drawn ;  in  the 
latter  function  the  rings  of  the  snaffle  must  be  considered 
as  cheek-pieces,  and  should  be  large  enough  to  eliminate 
any  chance  of  their  being  drawn  through  the  mouth. 

The  upper  arm  of  the  cheek-piece,  measured  from  the 
mouth-piece  to  the  top  of  the  eye,  should  be  two  inches  long 
in  order  to  prevent  the  cheek-pieces  from  being  drawn  in  the 
same  plane  with  the  reins;  for  should  this  occur  the  curb- 
chain  would  cease  to  act  and  the  bit  become  simply  a  jointed 
snaffle  in  which  the  pressure  from  the  reins  would  be  con- 
fined to  a  direct  backward  pull.  With  a  fixed  length  for  the 


THE    CHOICE    OF  A   BIT.  255 

upper  arms  of  all  curb  bits,  the  severity  may  be  increased  or 
diminished  by  lengthening  or  shortening  the  lower  arms  of 
the  cheek-pieces.  The  measurements  given  of  the  length 
of  the  cheek-pieces  with  sliding  mouth-pieces  are  those  made 
from  the  centre  end  of  the  mouth-piece,  when  the  latter  is  at 
the  top  of  the  slide. 

"  There  is  an  old  idea,  still  extant  with  many,  that  by  making  the  upper 
branch  of  a  bit  short,  we  cause  the  lower  to  draw  under  the  chin ;  so  we 
should  if,  with  a  bit  an  inch  and  a  half  long  above  the  mouth-piece,  we  left 
the  curb  chain  the  same  length  as  if  the  upper  branch  was  an  inch  longer ; 
but  take  up  the  curb  chain  a  couple  of  links,  it  would  no  more  draw  under 
than  the  other.  And  to  carry  this  on,  if  we  only  left  an  inch  above  and 
pulled  the  lower  branch  towards  the  horse's  nostrils,  and  then  curbed  him 
up,  the  curb  chain  would  still  keep  the  bit  nearly  perpendicular  with  the 
cleft  of  the  mouth  or  lips." —  Charles  Brindley,  "  Practical  Horsemanship" 
/.  82. 

THE    CHOICE    OF    A    BIT. 

The  first  consideration,  and  one  that  is  too  frequently 
never  thought  of,  is  that  a  bit  should  be  suitable  in  form  and 
fitted  with  accuracy  to  the  horse's  mouth.  No  matter  how 
well  made  or  of  what  shape  a  bit  may  be,  if  it  does  not  fit, 
the  control  of  the  horse  is  lessened  in  proportion  to  the 
degree  the  bit  is  too  small  or  too  large.  The  reputation  that 
some  men  have  for  "  good  hands  "  is  due  as  much  to  a  good 
head  in  the  matter  of  fitting  and  adjusting  the  bit  as  to  any 
especial  delicacy  in  handling  the  reins.  On  the  subject  of 
the  form  and  fitting  of  a  bit  the  following  well  known  author- 
ity, the  Duke  of  Beaufort,  is  quoted  in  substantiation  of  a 
point  upon  which  it  may  be  thought  the  writer  has  laid  too 
much  stress : 

"  The  bit  must  be  suited  to  the  horse,  and  the  possessor  and  driver  of 
many  horses  must,  if  he  wishes  to  enjoy  life,  have  many  bits,  some  with 


256  THE    CHOICE    OF  A   BIT. 

ports,  some  without.  Nine  horses  out  of  ten  will  go  pleasantly  in  a  shifting 
bit,  which  has  a  smooth  side  and  a  rough  side  to  the  bar,  which  also  shifts  up 
and  down  for  about  an  inch,  and  the  cheek  of  which  turns  so  that  the  smooth 
or  rough  side  can  be  used." —  "Driving"  Badminton,  p.  90. 

The  second  consideration  in  the  selection  of  a  bit  is  its 
design.  As  the  purchaser,  his  coachman  and  the  dealer,  in 
all  likelihood,  know  nothing  of  the  character  of  the  horse's 
mouth,  the  simplest  bit  should  be  chosen  unless  the  former 
owner  of  the  horse  has  recommended  some  distinct  type. 

The  common  failing  of  dealers  is  to  offer  expensive,  fancy 
and  severe  patterns  which  serve  their  purpose  in  swelling 
the  size  of  the  bill  for  equipment,  but  under  most  circum- 
stances such  bits  are  totally  unsuited  to  the  horse's  mouth. 

The  third  consideration  is  that  the  bit  should  be  of  the 
best  quality  steel,  for  upon  its  strength  the  safety  of  the 
rider  or  driver  and  his  control  over  the  horse  depend;  hence 
all  bits  should  be  of  the  best  forged  steel.  Plated  bits,  which 
are  in  high  favor  with  lazy  stable  servants,  are  dangerous 
and  otherwise  objectionable.  Flaws  in  the  steel  or  the  in- 
ferior metal  of  which  the  bit  is  made  cannot  be  detected, 
and  in  cleaning  plate,  sand  cannot  be  used  for  scouring 
without  removing  the  plating.  In  a  short  time,  even  when 
merely  metal  polish  is  used,  the  plating  wears  off,  the  bit 
rusts  and  has  to  be  discarded. 

For  driving  a  single  horse  the  choice  of  a  Liverpool  bit 
with  a  half  rough  mouth-piece  is  advised,  unless  the  horse 
is  of  the  roadster  type,  for  which  a  plain  ring  jointed  snaffle 
with  a  half  cheek-piece  and  check  bit  will  be  required.  For 
a  pair  the  Ashleigh  with  a  half  rough  mouth-piece  is  advised ; 
the  objection  to  the  Liverpool  is  that  the  front  part  of  the 
rings  on  the  inner  sides  of  the  reversible  pattern  with  round 


DRIVING   BITS— THE   SNAFFLE. 


257 


slides  are  forced  against  the  lips  by  the  diagonal  pressure 
of  the  coupling-reins.  In  Liverpool  bits  made  with  a  square 
shaft  for  the  mouth-piece  this  objectionable  feature  is  in  a 
measure  overcome,  but  the  draught  is  not  as  direct  as  when 
any  of  the  half  ring  patterns  are  used.  For  riding  the  plain 
Weymouth  with  a  bridoon  is  the  safest,  although  a  plain 
snaffle  with  full  cheek-pieces  is  in  most  cases  sufficient  and 
its  misuse  does  not  result  in  such  severity  to  the  horse. 


FIG.  119. 


FIG.    1 2O. 


FIG.    121. 


FIG.    122, 


THE    SNAFFLE. 


The  simplest  of  all  bits,  in  use  for  riding  or  driving,  is 
the  plain  ring  snaffle  with  a  bar  or  a  jointed  mouth-piece. 
The  rings  are  either  held  loosely  by  the  end  of  the  mouth- 
piece being  turned  over  the  rings  or  the  latter  passed  through 


258  DRIVING  BITS— THE   SNAFFLE. 

holes  drilled  in  the  ends  of  the  mouth-piece  and  the  ends 
of  the  rings  welded  together.  The  rings  should  always  be 
large  enough  to  act  on  the  sides  of  the  mouth  without  slip- 
ping through  or  giving. 

The  measurements  of  the  average  size  bit  of  this  type  are 
as  follows  :  Thickness  of  mouth-piece  at  heaviest  point  one- 
half  an  inch,  at  lightest  point  three-eighths  of  an  inch.  Di- 
ameter of  rings  from  outer  circumference  two  and  one-half 
inches.  Thickness  of  rings  one-fourth  of  an'  inch.  The 
plain  snaffle  is  distinctly  an  undress  bit,  suitable  for  all 
forms  of  simple  harness,  sending  horses  to  the  blacksmith 
shop,  exercising,  rough  work,  etc. 

THE  TWISTED  SNAFFLE  is  similar  in  all  respects  to  the 
simple  ring  snaffle  with  the  exception  that  the  surface  of  the 
mouth-piece  is  twisted  instead  of  being  smooth;  in  conse- 
quence its  effect  is  more  severe  and  should  not  be  used  by 
an  inexperienced  person. 

THE  DOUBLE-RINGED  SNAFFLE  is  formed  by  the  addition 
of  a  pair  of  rings  placed  around  the  mouth-piece  on  the  in- 
side of  the  rings  of  the  ordinary  snaffle.  To  these  inner 
rings,  which  are  the  same  size  as  the  outer  ones,  the  cheek- 
pieces  of  the  bridle  should  be  fastened  and  the  reins  to  the 
outer  ones,  and  not  to  both.  When  the  outer  rings  have 
cheek-pieces  the  steel  of  all  four  rings  is  usually  round,  but 
without  the  cheek-pieces  all  four  rings  are  generally  made  flat 
sided.  The  mouth-piece  is  the  same  as  that  in  the  simple 
snaffle,  the  diameter  of  the  rings  being  about  three  inches. 
This  bit  when  used  by  an  experienced  person  is  the  most 
effective  form  of  the  various  styles  of  snaffles.  It  is  appro- 
priate for  all  kinds  of  use,  except  where  other  designs  are 
advocated. 


DRIVING   BITS— THE   LIVERPOOL. 


259 


THE    LIVERPOOL. 

The  Liverpool  is  the  most  commonly  used  of  all  driving 
bits.  It  consists  of  a  bar  mouth-piece,  smooth  or  with  a 
half  twist,  cheek-pieces  and  rings,  through  the  centre  of 
which  the  cheek-pieces  pass  and  form  a  part.  The  mouth- 
piece is  fixed,  z*.  e.,  stationary,  sliding  or  reversible.  The 
cheek-pieces  are  flat,  and  in  the  lower  arm  are  two  openings 
drilled  to  receive  the  billets  of  the  reins.  At  the  ends  of  the 


FIG.    123, 

upper  arms  are  eyes  to  which  the  points  of  the  cheek-pieces 
of  the  bridle  and  the  curb  hooks  are  attached.  The  shaft 
for  the  sliding  mouth-piece  is  made  round  or  square,  the 
latter  shape  prevents  the  rings  from  bending  in.  The  meas- 
urements of  the  average  size  bit  of  this  type  are  as  follows : 
Diameter  of  mouth-piece  at  heaviest  point  nine-sixteenths  of 
an  inch.  Width  of  lower  arm  of  cheek-piece  eleven-sixteenths 


260 


DRIVING  BITS— THE  COACHING,  ETC. 


of  an  inch.  Thickness  of  lower  arm  of  cheek-piece  one- 
fourth  of  an  inch.  Length  of  lower  arm  of  cheek-piece  five 
and  one-half  inches.  Diameter  of  rings  from  outer  circum- 
ference three  and  three-eighths  inches.  Thickness  of  rings 
at  thinnest  point  one-fourth  of  an  inch. 

THE    COACHING. 

The  Coaching  bit  is  similar  in  many 
respects  to  the  Liverpool.  .  The  dimen- 
sions are  about  the  same.  The  lower  arms 
of  the  cheek-pieces  are  bent  backwards  just 
below  the  mouth-piece  and  then  down- 
ward, in  other  respects  they  are  the  same 
as  those  of  the  Liverpool.  The  cheeks,  to 
which  the  billets  of  the  reins  may  be  fast- 
ened, are  made  in  a  half  ring  form.  The 
mouth-piece  is  made  fixed,  reversible  or 
sliding;  the  shafts  for  the  latter  are  made 
square  or  round. 

THE    ASHLEIGH. 

The  Ashleigh  closely  resembles  the 
coaching;  the  points  of  difference  are  that 
the  upper  part  of  the  lower  arm  of  the 
former  is  made  a  trifle  longer  and  has  an 
opening  for  the  billet  of  the  reins,  and  the 
rings  of  the  cheek-pieces  are  half  oval  in 
shape.  The  mouth-piece  is  made  fixed, 
sliding  or  reversible. 

THE    BUXTON. 

The  Buxton  is  the  most  elaborate  of  any 
of  the  many  regular  patterns  of  driving  bits.  FIG.  125, 


FIG.  124. 


DRIVING  BITS—  THE   BUXTON. 


261 


The  mouth-piece  is  like  that  of  the  Liverpool.  The  upper 
arms  of  the  cheek-pieces  are  round  and  terminate  in  eyes 
to  which  the  points  of  the  ckeek-pieces  of  the  bridle  and 
the  curb  hooks  are  attached.  The  lower  arms  of  the  cheek- 
pieces  form  a  series  of  curves  as  shown  in  the  above  illustra- 
tion. The  top  and  bottom  necks  are  round,  the  middle  and 


FIG.    126. 


FIG.    127. 


lower  parts  are  flat  and  have  openings  to  receive  the  billets 
of  the  reins.  As  a  rule  the  lower  opening  is  made  too 
small  to  receive  the -ordinary  sized  billet.  (See  Fig.  127.) 

The  arms  of  the  lower  cheek-pieces  terminate  in  a  neck 
around  which  the  end  of  the  crossbar  works.  The  rings 
of  the  cheek-pieces  are  three-quarters  round,  the  ends 
being  fastened  into  the  upper  and  lower  arms  of  the  cheek- 
pieces  just  above  and  below  the  mouth-piece.  This  is 
distinctly  a  full  dress  bit  and  is  only  suitable  for  a  ladies' 
phaeton,  victoria,  brougham,  park  tandem,  park  coach,  etc. 


262 


DRIVING   BITS—  THE   GIG,  ETC. 


FIG.  128. 


THE    GIG. 

The  Gig  bit  is  similar  to  the  Buxton  with 
the  exception  that  the  lower  arms  of  the 
cheek-pieces  and  crossbar  are  straight,  and 
instead  of  holes  being  drilled  in  the  lower 
arm  there  are  metal  loops  on  the  edge  to 
which  the  billets  of  the  reins  may  be  at- 
tached. This  bit  is  the  type  that  should  be 
used  with  all  forms  of  gigs,  and  as  it  is  of  a 
very  distinctive  pattern  it  should  never  be 
allowed  to  take  the  place  of  the  Buxton  for 
single  or  pair-horse  brougham  harness,  etc. 


THE    HANOVARIAN. 

The  Hanovarian  bit  comprises  a  stiff 
mouth-piece  and  flat-sided  cheek-pieces, 
terminating  in  eyes,  to  which  the  curb 
hooks  and  points  of  the  cheek-pieces  of 
the  bridle  are  fastened.  Each  arm  has 
three  rein  rings,  a  large  one  at  the  mouth- 
piece and  two  smaller  ones  on  the  lower 
arm  of  the  cheek-pieces.  This  bit  is 
seldom  used  in  a  private  stable,  but  is  FIG-  I29- 
favored  by  hackmen  and  tradesmen  generally. 

THE    BRIDOON. 

The  Bridoon  is  a  light  form  of  snaffle  used  with  any  of 
the  various  designs  of  driving  bits.  In  construction  it  is  not 
unlike  the  ordinary  snaffle. 

In  the  Pulley-bridoon,  pulleys  are  attached  to  the  rings 
which  are  inserted  in  holes  drilled  through  the  ends  of  the 
mouth-piece.  The  part  on  which  the  bearing-rein  works 


DRIVING  AND  CHECK  BITS  FOR  ROADSTERS.        263 

should  revolve.  Pulleys  are  generally  used  on  the  rings  of 
the  bridoon,  as  their  use  renders  the  bit  less  irritating  and  its 
position  in  the  mouth  is  not  so  constantly  disturbed. 


FIG.   132. 
FIG.    131. 

DRIVING    BITS    FOR    ROADSTERS. 

The  principal  type  of  bit  used  for  roadsters  is  the  half 
cheek  jointed  snaffle.  (See  Fig.  134.)  The  detail  of  con- 
struction varies  to  such  an  extent  that  it  would  require  sev- 
eral pages  for  the  illustrations  of  the  different  forms.  A 
check  bit  is  almost  invariably  used  in  conjunction  with  the 
snaffle  and  its  forms  are  almost  as  numerous  as  those  of  the 
snaffle.  Horses  with  good  mouths,  used  merely  for  pleasure, 
are  usually  driven  in  the  type  of  snaffle  and  check  bit  re- 
spectively shown  in  Figs.  134  and  137.  Severer  forms  of 
bits  are  shown  in  Figs.  .115  and  135,  and  one  of  the  designs 
used  to  prevent  a  horse  from  getting  his  tongue  over  the 
bit  is  shown  in  Fig.  136. 

CHECK    BITS    FOR    ROADSTERS. 

Check  bits  (see  Fig.  137)  are  usually  made  with  a  stiff 
bar  mouth-piece.  This  mouth-piece  is  made  in  various 
shapes  and  is  sometimes  attached  with  metal  loops  to  the 
mouth-piece  of  the  snaffle,  in  order  to  prevent  the  pressure 


264 


DRIVING  BITS  FOR  ROADSTERS. 


FIG.  133. 


FIG.    134. 


FIG.    135. 


FIG.    136. 


FIG.    137. 


FIG.    138. 


THE    CURB-CHAIN. 


265 


of  the  bearing-reins  falling  entirely  upon  the  upper 
bars  of  the  mouth.  (See  Fig.  1 38.)  These  bits  are 
in  general  use  for  the  trotting  type  of  horse  and 
are  used  in  conjuction  with  a  snaffle. 

THE    CURB-CHAIN. 

A  Curb-Chain  consists  of  a  series  of  links  of 
steel  made  of  different  sizes  and  shapes,  usually 
single,   although   sometimes  double,  and  always 
of  an  odd  number,   varying  between  seventeen 
and  twenty-three.     The  links  gradually  increase 
in  size  from   the  ends  to  the  middle,  at  which 
point  of  the  chains  for  riding  bits  a  plain  round 
ring,  at  right  angles  with  the  links,  is  fastened  to  receive  the 
lip-strap.      The  curb-chain  for  driving  bits  should  not  have  a 
lip-strap  ring.     The  average  length  is  about  ten  inches.    The 


FIG.  139. 


FIG.    140. 

use  of  the  curb-chain  is  to  distribute  part  of  the  pressure 
brought  upon  the  bit  to  the  sensitive  part  of  the  lower  jaw. 
The  more  numerous  the  links,  the  smoother  the  chain  will  lie 
on  the  jaw,  and  be  in  consequence  less  severe  than  a  more 
open  or  untwisted  chain.  The  curb-chain  is  attached  to 
the  eyes  of  the  curb  bit  by  a  hook.  (See  Fig.  139.) 


266  LEATHER    CHEEK-PIECES  AND   BURRS. 

LEATHER    CHEEK-PIECES. 

Leather  cheek-pieces  are  frequently  used  on  horses  that 
have  the  unsightly  habit  of  lolling  their  tongues  out  on 
either  side  of  the  mouth  These  cheek-pieces  are  made 
of  a  circular  piece  of  leather  about  three  and  one-half  inches 
in  diameter  and  about  three-sixteenths  of  an  inch  thick. 
In  the  centre  is  a  hole  three-fourths  of  an  inch  in  diameter 
from  which  a  slit  is  made  to  the  outer  circumference.  The 
cheek-piece  is  inserted  between  the  horse's  mouth  and  the 
ring  of  the  bit,  where  it  is  held  in  place  by  passing  the 
mouth-piece  through  the  slit  to  the  hole  made  for  it  in  the 
centre. 


FIG.  141. 

BURRS. 

Burrs  are  similar  to  the  leather  cheek-pieces  described 
in  the  above  paragraph,  except  that  the  under  side  of  the 
disk  is  studded  with  either  bristles  or  metal  points.  Al- 
though often  effective  in  cases  where  the  plain  leather  fails, 
they  are  a  source  of  constant  irritation  to  the  horse  with  a 
tender  mouth. 


SNAFFLES  AND    THE    GAG.  267 

/ 

SNAFFLES.* 

THE  DOUBLE-MOUTH  SNAFFLE  is  formed  by  the  use  of  an 
additional  mouth-piece  with  the  plain  snaffle.  The  sections 
of  these  mouth-pieces  are  of  corresponding  unequal  lengths, 
the  short  section  of  one  mouth-piece  and  the  long  section  of 
the  other  are  placed  over  each  other.  By  this  arrangement 
the  efficiency  of  the  bit  is  not  minimized  by  being  shifted 
from  one  side  to  the  other.  It  is  an  exceedingly  severe  bit 
and  should  be  used  with  the  greatest  care. 

THE  CHAIN  SNAFFLE  differs  from  the  plain  ring  snaffle  in 
that  the  mouth-piece  is  made  of  a  series  of  links  forming  a 
chain.  These  links  are  either  oblong  or  of  the  curb-chain 
pattern.  In  some  designs  two  chains  are  used,  one  above 
the  other,  for  a  mouth-piece,  or  metal  balls  are  linked  to- 
gether. This  bit  can  be  used  to  advantage  on  horses  that 
are  headstrong  and  have  a  tendency  to  "  take  hold."  The 
severity  of  the  mouth-piece,  when  made  of  curb-chain  links, 
may  be  increased  by  untwisting  some  or  all  of  the  links  which 
under  ordinary  circumstances  should  lie  flat.  The  harshness 
of  the  bit  may  be  tempered  by  covering  the  mouth-piece  with 
leather. 

THE    GAG. 

The  Gag  snaffle  is  so  constructed  that 
the  round  part  of  the  reins  passes  through 
a  pair  of  eyes  on  either  side  of  the  bit  and 
is  attached  to  the  crown-piece  of  the  bridle. 
FIG.  142.  When    the  reins  are  drawn  taut,  the  bit 

is  forced  against  the  corners  of  the  mouth. 

*  For  description  of  the  simple  forms  of  snaffles  see  under  Driving  Bits,  pp.  257  and 
258. 


268  RIDING  BITS— THE  SAW-MOUTH,  ETC. 

This  form  of  snaffle  is  intended  to  counteract  any  tendency 
to  "  bore  "  and  may  be  used  with  a  single  bridle,  or  as  a 
bridoon  in  conjunction  with  another  bit.  The  mouth-piece* 
is  similar  to  that  of  the  plain  snaffle.  All  four  of  the  eyes 
through  which  the  round  leather  reins  pass  lie  parallel  to 
the  mouth-piece.  The  use  of  the  gag  snaffle  should  be 
avoided  by  a  novice. 

THE    SAW-MOUTH. 

The  Saw-mouth  bridoon  is  happily  a  raVe  form  of  bit, 
the  action  of  which  is  exceedingly  painful,  not  to  say  brutal. 
It  is  made  in  two  sections  joined  together  in  the  middle  by  a 
tongue  and  socket  joint  and  the  outer  ends  are  shaped  into 
snap  hooks  with  springs.  The  concave  surface  is  formed 
into  teeth.  This  bit  is  attached  by  means  of  snap  hooks, 
usually  to  the  rings  of  some  form  of  snaffle.  When  the  reins 
are  drawn  tight,  its  effect  is  not  very  severe,  but  when  the 
bit  is  drawn  transversely  through  the  horse's  mouth  it  pro- 
duces very  much  the  same  result  on  the  horse's  lips  that  an 
ordinary  saw  does  on  a  piece  of  wood. 

THE    NEWMARKET. 

The  Newmarket  snaffle  can  hardly  be  considered  a  dis- 
tinct form  of  bit,  as  its  metal  part  does  not  differ  in  any  respect 
from  the  simple  snaffle  ;  yet  owing  to  its  efficiency,  especially 
with  tender  mouthed  horses,  it  is  of  sufficient  importance  to 
be  classed  as  a  distinct  style.  Its  merit  lies  in  an  adjustable 
leather  nose-band  which  passes  from  one  ring  of  the  mouth- 
piece to  the  other  over  the  bridge  of  the  nose.  This  strap, 
by  means  of  a  buckle,  is  arranged  so  that  the  pressure  of  the 
reins  can  be  distributed  between  the  nose  and  the  bars  of 
the  mouth  or  thrown  entirely  on  either  one  or  the  other. 


RIDING  BITS —THE   WEYMOUTH,  ETC. 


269 


FIG.  143. 


THE    WEYMOUTH. 

The  Weymouth  is  the  simplest  form  of 
a  complete  curb  riding  bit.  It  consists  of 
a  bar  mouth-piece  which  is  usually  straight 
or  with  a  Mullen  or  Cambridge  port :  the 
cheek-pieces  are  made  with  rein  rings  at 
the  lower  end  and  eyes  at  the  upper  ends 
to  which  the  points  of  the  cheek-pieces  of 
the  bridle  and  the  hooks  for  the  curb-chain 
are  fastened.  In  the  middle  of  the  lower 
arms  of  the  cheek-pieces  of  the  bit  and  at 
right  angles  to  the  mouth-piece  lip-strap 
rings  are  welded.  The  mouth-piece  is 
made  either  stationary  or  sliding;  in  the 
latter  design  the  ends  of  the  bit  slide  up 
and  down  on  a  thin  section  of  the  cheek-piece  and  are 
given  half  an  inch  or  more  play.  Diameter  of  mouth-puece 
at  heaviest  point  five-eighths  of  an  inch.  Length  of  upper 
arm  of  cheek-piece  from  centre  of  mouth-piece  two  and  one- 
half  inches.  Length  of  lower  arm  measured  in  the  same 
way  four  and  one-naif  inches.  Diameter  of  cheek-piece  at 
thickest  point  near  mouth-piece  one-half  inch.  Diameter  of 
openings  of  rein  rings  one  inch.  This  bit  is  the  most  ser- 
viceable and  appropriate  of  all  bits  for  a  double  bridle  when 
used  with  a  bridoon. 

THE    PELHAM. 

The  Pelham,  which  resembles  the  Weymouth  in  general 
outlines,  is  a  combination  of  curb  and  Bridoon  bit.  It  con- 
sists of  a  straight  bar  and  cheek-piece  with  two  sets  of  rings, 
one  at  the  bottom  of  the  cheek-piece  and  the  other,  a  larger 


270 


RIDING  BITS— THE    CB1FNEY. 


FIG.    144. 


one,  at  the  mouth-piece.     The  upper  arm 
terminates  in  an  eye  which  receives   the 
billet  of  the  bridle.     This  bit  is  used  with 
double  reins,  one  set  is  attached  to  the 
~— - — -          large  rings  near  the  mouth-piece,  and  the 
^j^-^  other  pair  of  reins  are  fastened  into  the 

rings  in  the  lower  part  of  the  arms ;  when 
the  latter  are  drawn  up  they  convert  the 
bit  into  a  curb.  This  bit  is  especially 
suited  to  horses  that  carry  their  heads 
too  high. 

THE    CHIFNEY. 

The  Chifney  bit  is  designed  with  a  view 
to  avoiding  the  downward  pressure  on  the 
head  of  the  horse,  which  all  other  forms  of 
curb  have  a  tendency  to  exert.  It  consists 
of  a  bar  mouth-piece,  usually  made  with  a 
port.  Near  the  ends  of  this  mouth-piece  the 
cheek-pieces,  similar  to  those  of  the  Wey- 
mouth  bit,  are  inserted  through  holes  drilled 
in  the  bar  and  there  firmly  held  in  plfce. 
Short  half  cheek-pieces,  with  a  collar  at  the 
lower  ends,  are  riveted  on  necks  made  at  the 
extreme  ends  of  the  mouth-piece,  around 
which  they  freely  revolve,  and  the  upper 
ends  of  these  half  cheek-pieces  are  formed 
into  eyes  by  which  the  bit  is  attached  to  the  head  stall  of  the 
bridle.  This  bit  is  extremely  severe,  as  the  entire  pressure 
of  the  reins  falls  upon  the  tongue,  the  bars  of  the  mouth 
and  the  under  jaw  at  the  point  touched  by  the  curb-chain. 
The  ordinary  horseman  does  not  realize  in  using  a  curb 


FIG.  145- 


RIDING  BITS— THE  MOHAWK,  BRIDOON,  ETC.       271 

that  a  large  proportion  of  his  force  is  harmlessly  borne  by 
the  poll,  i.  e.,  top  of  the  horse's  head,  and  when  this  power 
is  thrown  entirely  upon  the  sensitive  parts  named  above,  the 
severity  of  the  bit  is  extreme ;  hence  it  should  not  be  indis- 
criminately used. 

THE    MOHAWK. 

The  Mohawk  is  an  attachment  which  is  applied  to  the 
various  forms  of  curb  bits  for  the  purpose  of  increasing  their 
severity.  It  consists  of  a  bit  as  shown  on  p.  264,  Fig.  137, 
with  the  addition  of  hard  rubber  rollers,  see  p.  252.  The 
ends  of  the  bit  are  attached  to  the  eyes  of  the  upper  arms  of 
a  curb  bit  by  snap  hooks.  Although  it  is  considered  very 
effective  in  restraining  "  a  puller,"  its  severity  irritates  and 
increases  the  very  tendency  which  its  peculiar  formation 
enables  it  to  counteract. 

THE    BRIDOON. 

(fjp^rr-^©          The  Bridoon  is   a  light  form  of  snaffle 
6  used  with  the  Weymouth  or  similar  bits.     In 

construction    it  is  not  unlike  the   ordinary 
snaffle.      In    the   bridoon,  holes  are  drilled 
through  the  ends  of  the  mouth-piece,  which 
IG.  147-  retain  the  rings  loosely  in  place  or  they  may 

be  held  by  the  turning  over  of  the  ends  of  the  mouth-piece 
as  in  the  snaffle. 

THE    LIP-STRAP. 

The  lip-strap  is  formed  of  two  narrow  strips  of  leather 
which  are  looped  around  the  lip-strap  rings  of  the  curb  and 
after  being  passed  through  the  pendent  ring  in  the  centre  of 
the  curb-chain,  the  ends  are  fastened  to  a  buckle. 


272 


THE  CURB-CHAIN. 


"  A  lip-strap  to  a  bit  should  never  be  omitted,  if  a  horse  is  at  all  dis- 
posed to  catch  at  his  bit,  that  is,  get  hold  of  the  branch  on  his  under  teeth. 
If  he  once  does  this,  away  he  goes,  if  disposed  to  do  so,  for  no  man  could 
hold  him."  —  Charles  Brindley,  " Practical Horsemanship" p.  93. 

THE    CURB-CHAIN. 

The  only  difference  between  the  curb-chain  used  for  the 
driving  bit  and  that  used  for  the  riding  bit  is  that  the  latter 
is  usually  made  of  smaller  and  lighter  links.  The  pendent 
ring,  which  is  sometimes  omitted  from  the  curb-chain  of 
the  driving  bit,  should  always  be  on  the  chains  of  curb  bits 
for  riding. 


FIG.    148. 

Among  the  common  attachments  used  to  increase  the 
driver's  or  rider's  power  of  restraint  over  the  horse  are  the 
net  and  independent  nose-band.  The  former  is  often  at- 
tached to  the  nose-band  and  lower  branch  of  the  bit,  so  that 
when  the  reins  are  drawn  the  net  compresses  the  nostrils 
and  closes  off  the  horse's  "wind."  Sometimes  the  mere 
presence  of  a  net  is  sufficient  to  deter  a  horse  from  pulling. 
The  independent  nose-band  is  merely  to  afford  the  restraint 


THE   MOUTHING   BIT. 


273 


which  cannot  be  obtained  with  the  ordinary  nose-band,  owing 
to  defective  construction. 

THE    MOUTHING    BIT. 

The  mouthing  bit  (see  Fig.  149)  is  a  heavy  jointed  snaffle 
with  full  cheek -pieces.  The  two  sections  of  the  mouth-piece 
are  joined  in  the  centre  by  a  small  ring  to  which  a  flat  plate 
is  attached  and  from  the  latter  three  metal  keys  or  drops 
depend.  The  ends  of  the  mouth-piece  near  the  cheek-pieces 
are  made  very  heavy,  about  an  inch  in  diameter,  and  the 


FIG.  149. 

cheek-pieces  are  long  and  thick.  The  object  of  this  form  of 
construction  is,  first,  to  provide  a  mouth-piece  which  will  not 
injure  the  horse's  lips;  second,  by  the  existence  of  the  keys, 
to  divert  the  animal's  attention  while  the  bit  is  being  used ; 
and  third,  by  the  length  of  the  cheek-pieces,  to  prevent  the 
bit  from  being  drawn  through  the  mouth.  This  form  of  bit 
is  used  in  colt  breaking  and  in  teaching  a  horse  to  hold  his 
head  and  neck  in  a  proper  position. 


CHAPTER  XI. 


WHIPS,  ROBES,  HORSE  CLOTHING,  ETC. 

DRIVING   AND    RIDING   WHIPS,    COACHING,  TANDEM  AND  HUNTING 

HORNS,    DRIVING   APRONS,    DRESS    AND    STABLE    CLOTHING, 

STABLE    REQUISITES,    ETC. 

DRIVING  whips  are 
of  two  distinct  types, 
i.  The  straight  raw- 
hide or  whalebone, 
which  is  covered  with 
cotton,  linen,  silk  or 
gut,  and  is  usually  fin- 
ished in  black.  The 
length  varies  between 
six  feet  and  seven  feet 
six  inches.  The  length 
should  be  determined 

by  the  distance  the  horse  or  horses  are  from  the  carriage. 
The  whip  used  with  a  single  horse  is  usually  about  eight  or 
ten  inches  shorter  than  that  for  a  pair.  The  hand-piece  may 
be  plain  or  ivory  with  a  gilt  ferrule.  This  type  of  whip  is 
the  one  used  for  driving  roadsters  and  should  be  confined  to 
such  use.  2.  The  thong  (or  lash)  whip  made  of  a  stick  of 
natural-colored  wood  and  a  thong.  This  form  of  whip  is  the 
one  that  should  be  used  with  all  types  of  heavy  harness 
horses  and  is  described  in  the  following  paragraphs. 

274 


THE  STICK   OF  THE  LASH  WHIP.  275 

THE    STICK    OF    THE    LASH    WHIP. 

The  stick  of  a  single  lash,  pair-horse,  tandem  or  four-in- 
hand  whip  is  usually  made  of  holly,  as  yew  and  blackthorn, 
though  tougher,  are  more  apt  to  warp.  The  stick  should  be 
strong  without  being  stiff,  and  pliable  without  being  weak. 
From  the  butt  to  the  quill  the  wood  should  gradually  taper 
and  when  held  at  the  ferrule  (i.  e.,  the  metal  band  above  the 
hand-piece)  or  at  the  point  where  the  ferrule  is  usually 
placed  the  whip  should  be  so  nicely  balanced  that  when 
held  either  above  or  below  this  part  it  feels  less  handy.  For 
all  vehicles  such  as  the  brougham,  etc.,  to  which  horses  are 
close  hitched,  the  length  of  the  stick  should  be  about  five  feet 
long  measured  from  the  butt  to  the  end  of  the  quill.  This 
measurement  does  not  include  the  sticks  of  tandem  and  four- 
in-hand  whips.  The  sticks  of  whips  for  phaetons,  pair-horse, 
run-abouts  and  similar  carriages  should  be  about  five  feet  six 
inches. 

At  one  time  a  craze  prevailed  for  whips  with  a  crooked 
stick  in  imitation  of  that  of  Tom  Henessey's  famous  dog- 
leg coaching  whip,  but  lately  there  has  been  a  sensible  re- 
version to  the  non-sporting  straight  stick  for  non-sporting 
vehicles.  Every  coachman  who  considered  himself  "any- 
thing of  a  swell "  insisted  on  the  use  of  "  a  dog-leg,"  no  mat- 
ter what  type  of  vehicle  he  drove.  The  hand-piece  is  either 
covered  with  pigskin,  the  upper  and  lower  ends  of  which 
are  held  by  plain  metal  mounts,  or  the  wood  is  relieved  by 
part  of  the  bark  being  left.  This  latter  form  is  called  a  rab- 
bit-bitten hand-piece.  A  whip  for  all  driving  purposes  except- 
ing tandem  and  four-in-hand  may  be  embellished  with  as 
many  knots  on  the  stick  as  pleases  the  owner's  fancy ;  but 
the  appearance  of  the  stick  is  best  when  the  knots  gradually 


276  THE    THONG  AND  POINTS. 

diminish  in  number  and  size  towards  the  quill  end  and  are 
evenly  distributed. 

THE    THONG. 

The  thong  is  made  of  plaited  horsehide  and  is  attached 
to  the  stick  by  means  of  a  quill.  The  length  of  the  thong 
is  about  three  feet  eight  for  a  whip  used  with  a  single  car- 
riage and  about  ten  inches  longer  when  intended  for  a  pair- 
horse  vehicle.  The  quill  part  should  be  comparatively  short ; 
the  whalebone  which  is  used  to  stiffen  the  thong  at  this 
point  is  bound  with  black  thread.  Frank  Swales,  in  his  book 
entitled  "  Driving  as  I  have  found  It,"  says,  "  Coachmen  who 
cannot  hit  a  horse  effectively  with  a  light  whip  and  without 
being  obliged  to  have  the  top  half  whalebone  should  never 
be  allowed  to  use  one,  a  bale  stick  or  plough  handle  would 
suit  them  better." — /.  106. 

11  It  seems  a  strange  thing  when  we  consider  it,  that  we  should  take  the 
hides  of  dead  horses  —  the  hides  upon  which  the  lash  may  so  often  have 
descended  —  to  make  more  lashes  to  beat  more  horses." —  A.  Maudslay, 
"  Highways  and  Horses"  p.  44. 

"  Even  when  the  cattle  were  good,  and  but  little  whip  was  required, 
thongs  soon  became  rotten  from  the  sweat  of  the  horses  and  the  rain,  and 
to  avoid  the  frequent  necessity  for  new  ones,  what  were  called  '  three  quar- 
ters and  middles  '  were  made  which  coachmen  were  generally  able  to  splice 
on  for  themselves."  —  Edward  Corbett,  "An  Old  Coachman's  Chatter" 
p.  124. 

POINTS. 

The  point  should  be  made  of  leather,  but  very  few 
are.  Red,  blue,  white  or  other  colored  whipcord  or  silk  is 
commonly  used.  If  whipcord  or  silk  is  used  the  color 
should  be  white.  The  leather  point  is  preferable,  but  as  it 
is  plaited  to  the  thong  the  cost  of  replacing  those  which 
have  worn  out  is  greater. 


COACHING,  TANDEM  AND  FOUR-IN-HAND  WHIPS.    277 

"  I  do  not  like  the  whipcord  lashes,  neither  silk  ones ;  because  they  are 
too  light  and  stick  when  they  get  wet.  I  prefer  the  leather  point  which  is 
sold  in  England."  —  Edwin  Hewlett,  "  Driving  Lessons"  p.  33. 

COACHING    AND    TANDEM    WHIPS. 

The  most  important  point  in  selecting  a  coach  whip  is  to 
procure  one  of  the  right  length ;  if  the  whip  is  not  of  the 
right  length,  no  matter  how  good  the  stick  or  the  thong,  you 
are  in  one  way  or  another  badly  handicapped  at  important 
times  when  its  use  is  necessary.  When  too  long  the  point 
dangles  among  the  reins  and  becomes  entangled,  or  if  too 
short  the  leaders  go  "  scot-free  "  when  they  should  be  chas- 
tised. As  there  is  a  correct  length  it  is  advisable  to  obtain 
a  whip  of  the  right  dimensions  instead  of  buying  one  a  little 
shorter  or  longer.  The  Wards  of  England,  famous  whip 
makers  in  their  day,  established  the  following  measurements, 
which  hold  good  at  the  present  time  :  From  the  butt  of  the 
stick  to  the  quill  holder,  five  feet  one  and  one-half  inches, 
and  the  thong  from  the  base  of  the  quill  to  the  end  of  the 
point  twelve  feet  six  inches.  In  order  to  facilitate  the  carry- 
ing of  an  extra  whip  the  stick  is  often  made  with  a  screw 
joint  in  the  middle  and  the  whip  mounted  on  a  board  as 
shown  in  Fig.  150. 

FOUR-IN-HAND    WHIPS. 

Some  well  known  coaching  authorities  are  here  quoted 
on  the  subject  of  the  make  of  a  four-in-hand  whip  : 

"  Whips  to  a  four-in-hand  coachman  are  what  a  good  fly-rod  is  to  a 
fisherman ;  they  should  be  perfectly  balanced,  made  of  well  seasoned  holly, 
yew  or  blackthorn  (the  latter  being  the  most  difficult  to  get),  the  stick  as 
nearly  five  feet  long  as  possible  and  the  thong  ten  feet.  (If  the  stick  is  five 
feet  long,  nine  feet  six  inches  is  ample  length  for  the  thong.)  Indeed  ten 
feet  I  consider  better.  Double  the  length  of  the  stick  and  no  whipcord 


278 


COACHING  AND   TANDEM  WHIPS. 


FIG.  150. 


RIDING   WHIPS.  279 

point."—  Duke  of  Beaufort.  "The  stick  should  be  pliable,  not  stiff,  yet 
strong  enough  to  use  in  a  gale  of  wind  and  the  thong  made  of  the  best 
horsehide  to  match  the  weight  and  the  strength  of  the  stick."  —  Major 
Dixon,  "  Driving" p.  98. 

Edward  Corbett,  in  "  An  Old  Coachman's  Chatter,"  makes 
the  following  remarks  on  whips  :  "  Some  preferred,  I  think 
most  professionals  did,  a  stiff  crop  and  a  light  thong,  but 
others,  especially  amateurs,  were  in  favor  of  a  supple  stick 
with  a  heavier  thong.  The  latter  are  no  doubt  easier  to 
manage  in  a  high  wind  and  can  also  be  caught  up  with 
greater  facility ;  but  in  my  humble  opinion,  the  former  are 
far  preferable  for  general  use,  a  supple  stick  and  a  heavy 
thong  being  insufferable  in  wet  weather."  — p.  123. 

The  same  writer  goes  on  to  say  that  "  In  the  selection  of 
a  whip  it  is  easy  to  observe  whether  the  person  selecting  is 
an  old  hand  or  not.  If  he  is  he  would  pick  out  a  crop  with- 
out knots  or  with  as  few  as  possible,  whereas  the  tyro  is 
nearly  sure  to  take  the  knotty  one.  The  large  knots,  of 
course,  tend  to  keep  the  thong  from  slipping  down  towards 
the  hand ;  but  it  ought  to  be  caught  tight  enough  to  stay  in 
its  proper  place  without  them,  and  sticks  always  break  first 
at  the  knots."  — /.  123. 

RIDING  WHIPS. 

Riding  whips  may  be  divided  into  two  classes,  the  orna- 
mental and  useful.  The  former  are  usually  either  bone 
handled  with  a  malacca  or  bamboo  stick,  at  the  end  of  which 
a  loop  of  buckskin  is  bound  (see  Figs.  150  and  A,  B,  151)  or 
a  simple  bamboo  or  wangee  cane  made  lighter  and  shorter 
than  a  walking  stick  and  with  a  crook  at  the  end  of  the 
hand-piece.  The  whips  of  a  useful  order  are  made  of  bone 
covered  with  plaited  gut ;  the  ends  may  terminate  in  a  loop 


280 


RIDING    WHIPS. 


FIG. 


HORNS.  281 

or  a  point,  the  latter  is  more  severe,  called  a  "  cutting  whip." 
The  end  of  the  hand-piece  of  those  forms  with  a  loop  end 
usually  terminate  in  horn  handles,  while  those  with  the 
pointed  end  are  generally  finished  off  with  a  round  end  with 
a  metal  button  in  the  centre.  (See  D,  Fig.  151.) 

The  metal  mounts,  whenever  used,  should  be  of  plain 
silver  or  brass ;  chased  metal  and  ivory  handles  are  on  the 
circus  order,  which  should  not  be  trespassed  upon.  All  whips 
should  be  solid  enough  to  be  serviceable  and  above  being 
confounded  with  toy  whips.  A  lash  should  only  be  used 
when  the  rider  has  charge  of  hounds,  for  which  purpose  a 
good  stout  plaited  horsehide  thong  about  ten  feet  long  is 
required. 

HORNS. 

"  Though  the  coachmen  of  old  are  dead, 

Though  the  guards  are  turned  to  clay, 
You  will  still  remember  the  yard  of  tin 
And  the  Mail  of  the  olden  day." 

"  The  yard  of  tin  "  of  the  olden  time  has  become  trans- 
formed into  the  long,  graceful,  well-ribbed  and  melodious 
horn  of  the  present  day.  The  former  was  more  perishable, 
and  inferior  in  every  way  to  the  modern  copper  or  brass 
horn.  The  writer  is  unable  to  discover  even  approximately 
when  the  coach  horn  was  first  introduced,  but  it  is  well 
known  that  at  first  the  guards  of  the  English  mails  used  key 
bugles  for  the  purpose  of  clearing  the  roads.  These  bugles 
were  succeeded  by  the  "  yard  of  tin,"  which  was  soon  dis- 
carded by  the  fast  mail  and  night  coaches  in  favor  of  the 
copper  or  brass  horns,  and  would  have  long  since  been  for- 
gotten had  not  its  characteristic  description  been  humorously 
or  derisively  applied  to  the  latter. 


282 


COACHING  HORNS. 


B  C 

FIG.    152. 


COACHING  HORNS. 


283 


284  THE  COACH  AND  TANDEM  HORN. 

There  is  hardly  any  article  connected  with  the  stable 
concerning  the  quality  of  which  there  is  so  little  chance  of 
going  wrong  as  in  the  purchase  of  the  coach,  tandem  or 
hunting  horn.  The  reason  of  this  is  that  these  articles  are 
not  in  general  demand  and  can  only  be  used  by  those  who 
have  had  much  experience  and  who  are  at  least  in  part  quali- 
fied to  distinguish  a  well  made  instrument.  The  result 
is  that  there  is  no  market  for  an  indifferent  and  wholesale 
production  of  ill-made  instruments,  and  hence  the  limited 
number  of  horns  that  find  a  market  usually  come  from  the 
hands  of  good  workmen. 

THE    COACH    HORN. 

The  coach  horn  is  made  in  three  different  designs,  the 
"  Heavy  Mail,"  the  "Selby  "  and  the  "  Beaufort."  Of  these 
the  "  Beaufort "  is  the  one  most  suited  for  use  on  the  park 
or  road  coach.  It  is  made  of  copper  in  various  sizes  vary- 
ing from  forty-eight  to  fifty-four  inches  in  length,  the  bore 
is  very  narrow  and  terminates  rather  abruptly  in  a  graceful 
"  bell."  This  horn  has  a  detachable  German  silver  mouth- 
piece, long  German  silver  ferrules  and  is  further  strength- 
ened by  three  flat  ribs  of  German  silver  running  lengthwise 
on  the  outside  of  the  horn.  All  of  the  notes  required  in 
sounding  any  of  the  regular  "  calls  "  can  be  made  on  this 
horn.  Extensions,  both  straight  and  with  one  or  more 
twists,  are  made.  These  attachments  give  extra  notes  but 
for  ordinary  use  are  not  required. 

THE    TANDEM    HORN. 

The  tandem  horn  is  undoubtedly  a  late  imitation  in  min- 
iature of  the  coach  horn,  and  owes  its  origin  to  the  frequent 
necessity  the  driver  of  a  tandem  has  to  apprise  the  sleepy 


THE  HUNTING  HORN. 


235 


FIG.    154. 


286        THE  HUNTING  HORN  AND  CARRIAGE  ROBES. 

teamster  or  coachman  in  a  crowded  thoroughfare  that  more 
than  the  ordinary  space  is  required.  As  these  horns  are 
much  shorter,  they  are  not  ribbed  like  the  coach  horns,  but 
are  given  the  necessary  strength  in  the  middle  with  a  long 
German  silver  ferrule.  Tandem  horns  are  smaller  but  of 
the  same  general  design  and  construction  as  the  "  Beaufort." 
They  measure  about  thirty-two  inches  in  length,  and  as  they 
are  harder  to  blow  are  often  made  in  two  sections  and  can 
be  drawn  out  or  in  like  a  telescope,  by  the  operation  of  which 
movements  additional  notes  are  made. 

THE    HUNTING    HORN. 

Hunting  horns  are  made  of  copper  and  in  the  form 
shown  above  in  Fig.  154.  Their  use  should  be  confined  to 
the  master  of  hounds  or  to  the  person  in  charge  of  the 
hounds. 

CARRIAGE    ROBES. 

Carriage  robes  vary  so  in  make,  shape  and  quality  that 
it  is  almost  impossible  to  guide  a  purchaser  by  verbal  direc- 
tions. There  are  a  few  general  points  which  may  be  of 
some  assistance  and  they  are  here  given. 

The  robe,  under  most  conditions,  should  match  the  lin- 
ing of  that  part  of  the  carriage  with  which  it  comes  in  con- 
tact. Dark  colors  wear  better  and  are  consequently  more 
economical.  The  winter  cloth  robes  for  a  brougham  or 
similar  carriage  should  be  lined  with  a  woollen  material  which 
harmonizes  with  the  outer  part,  and  may  be  of  a  solid  color 
or  a  plaid.  These  heavy  robes  of  the  best  quality  are  made 
of  box-cloth  and  lined.  The  lighter  weights  for  spring  and 
summer  are  made  of  thinner  goods.  The  size  depends  en- 
tirely upon  the  purpose  for  which  the  robe  is  intended.  Un- 


DRIVING   APRONS. 


287 


FIG.    155, 


FIG.    156. 


288  APRONS  AND   WATERPROOF  COVERINGS. 

less  the  robe  is  to  be  used  for  driving  trips,  etc.,  the  addition 
of  a  flap  and  pockets  at  the  upper  end  is  a  needless  extrava- 
gance. At  one  time  silver  disks,  four  inches  or  more  in 
diameter,  with  the  monogram,  were  placed  on  the  upper 
centre  part  of  the  heavy  robes*  and  were  considered  the 
"  proper  thing,"  but  they,  together  with  fancy  stitching  and 
monograms,  are  now  not  so  generally  used,  being  merely  for 
show  and  rather  ostentatious. 

APRONS. 

Aprons  must  be  considered  distinct  from  robes,  as  the 
former  are  for  the  personal  use  of  the  owner  when  driving 
and  are  cut  with  a  view  to  rendering  them  especially  con- 
venient under  such  conditions.  Coaching  aprons  hardly 
reach  below  the  middle  of  the  shin  bone.  In  the  waterproof 
patterns  there  are  usually  placed  loops  by  means  of  which 
a  strap  buckling  around  the  waist  is  held  in  place.  A  very 
serviceable  wet  weather  apron  is  made  of  a  soft  dark  water- 
proof material  with  a  woollen  lining. 

WATERPROOF    COVERINGS. 

Waterproof  coverings  for  horses  are  made  chiefly  of 
rubber  or  mackintosh  material  and  in  three  forms :  (i )  those 
that  are  cut  similar  to  the  ordinary  blanket;  (2)  those  which 
are  made  to  extend  over  the  neck ;  and  (3)  those  that  are 
made  in  two  pieces,  one  being  the  same  as  a  blanket  and  the 
other  piece  fastened  to  the  crown-piece  and  covering  the 
neck  to  the  withers  where  it  overlaps  the  body  covering. 
All  openings  through  which  the  harness  passes  and  the  straps 
which  hold  the  waterproof  in  place  should  be  strongly  braced 
and  bound.  The  black  mackintosh  material  presents  a 
neater  appearance  than  the  glossy  surface  cf  plain  rubber 


WATERPROOF   COVERINGS. 


289 


FIG.    157. 


FIG.   158. 


290 


DRESS  AND  QUARTER  BLANKETS. 


FIG.  159, 


FIG.  160, 


MEASURING  DRESS  AND  QUARTER  BLANKETS.      291 

coverings  ;  the  livery  and  horse  waterproof  coverings  should 
be  of  the  same  material. 


FIG.  l6l. 

DRESS  BLANKET, 

Give  length  from  A  to  B,  and  from  E  to  F,  and  E  to  D. 
SECOND.     Give  length  from  A  to  D  and  A  to  C. 

DRESS  AND  QUARTER  BLANKETS. 

Dress  blankets  when  used  under  the  harness  are  usually 
made  either  of  box-cloth  or  kersey,  and  of  colors  either  to 
match  the  livery  or  such  as  those  for  which  the  owner  may 
have  especial  preference.  Dress  blankets  are  cut  somewhat 
smaller  than  those  used  in  the  stable  and  with  cloth  or 
leather  bound  slashes  in  the  sides  through  which  the  saddle 
girth  passes. 

Quarter  blankets  are  made  of  box-cloth,  kersey  or  enam- 
elled leather  lined  with  woollen  or  kersey  goods.  Those 
made  of  enamelled  leather  are  more  expensive,  but  being 


292      MEASURING  DRESS  AND  QUARTER  BLANKETS. 


FIG.  162. 


DIRECTIONS  FOR  MEASURING  QUARTER  BLANKET. 

"State  if  horse  is  very  hollow  backed,  or  is  extra  broad  across  the  hips, 
and  give  his  weight. 

"FiRST.  Give  length  from  C  (about  two  inches  forward  of  the  saddle) 
to  B  (about  three  inches  forward  of  the  tail),  as  shown  in  illustration, 

"SECOND.  Give  length  from  D  to  E,  as  shown  in  illustration.  Usual 
depth  thirty -two  inches.'* 

waterproof  they  offer  more  protection  in  the  event  of  a  horse 
being  caught  out  in  a  shower.  The  shape  in  which  quarter 
cloths  are  cut  varies  from  that  shown  in  Fig.  162.  Many  are 
cut  away  so  as  to  leave  the  hip  exposed  and  the  stifle 
free,  but  still  protect  the  loins.  If  a  monogram  or  any  other 
device  is  placed  in  the  corner  of  either  dress  or  quarter 
blankets,  they  should  not  be  more  than  about  five  inches  in 
diameter,  and  if  of  metal  they  should  match  the  other  furni- 
ture. 


BLANKETS. 


««  K  H  •  •  K  ss  ^s  ss  as  srss 


m  mm  mm  m*  y> 


•  •••••••••• 


•  m  mm  mm  mm  mm  mm  mm  mm  mmm*^ 


•••••••••••••••••••••••.•••       i 

••••••••••••••••••••••••••.      M 

::::::::::::•:  '  IV 


FIG.    163. 


FIG.     164. 


294   HORSE  CLOTHING— QUALITY,  SHAPE  AND  MAKE. 


FIG.   165. 
HORSE    CLOTHING QUALITY. 

Blankets,  rollers,  hoods,  etc.,  vary  so  in  make,  shape  and 
quality  that  only  the  best  of  those  required  are  mentioned. 
Weight  alone  in  clothing  is  not  an  indication  of  its  warmth. 
Softness  is  a  better  proof  of  quality,  and  clothing  that  is  made 
of  very  closely  woven  material  is  objectionable  as  it  prevents 
a  free  circulation  of  the  air  around  the  body,  which  is  always 
desirable.  The  material  of  the  clothing  should  be  heavy  but 
open  enough  to  maintain  a  uniform  temperature  by  temper- 
ing the  air  before  it  reaches  the  horse,  and  by  retaining  to 
some  extent  the  heat  given  out  by  the  body. 

*  SHAPE    AND    MAKE. 

All  clothing  should  be  so  cut  that  it  is  shaped  to  that 
part  of  the  horse  which  it  covers.  Unless  this  is  done  the 
clothing  will  either  chafe  or  present  a  bad  appearance  in 


BLANKETS,  RUGS  AND  SHEETS. 


295 


consequence  of  bulging.  In  addition  to  what  has  been  said 
above  regarding  the  quality  of  the  material,  the  clothing 
should  be  bound  with  strong  braid  or  cloth  and  all  stitching 
be  even  and  strong.  Some  distinctive  color  or  a  combination 
of  colors  in  plaid  is  usually  chosen  as  a  "  stable  color." 

BLANKETS,    RUGS    AND    SHEETS. 

For  winter  use  a  day  blanket  should  be  of  extra  heavy 
English  kersey.  (See  Figs.  163  and  164.)  Such  a  blanket  for 
a  horse  of  average  size  should  weigh 
about  five  and  a  half  pounds.  For 
night  use  it  is  more  economical  to 
use  a  rug  in  place  of  a  blanket. 
One  made  of  woollen  goods  and 
weighing  about  seven  pounds  will 
be  sufficient  covering  except  in  very 
cold  weather,  when  a  lighter  blanket 
may  be  placed  under  it,  or  one  of 
duck  fastened  over  the  rug.  The 
duck  material,  although  affording 
additional  warmth  and  protection 
from  soiling  to  the  under  covering, 
is  of  too  closely  woven  texture  to 
admit  of  a  good  circulation  to  the 
body  when  used  without  the  more 
open  material  of  the  under  cover- 
ing. 

For  summer  the  use  of  a  light 
serge  blanket  for  the  daytime  is 
cooler  than  a  linen  sheet  and  offers 
a  better  protection  in  the  event  of  FIG.  166. 


296 


BLANKETS,  RUGS  AND  SHEETS. 


any  sudden  changes  in  temperature.  As  the  night  clothing 
becomes  more  or  less  soiled  a  plain  white  linen  sheet  is 
advised,  as  none  of  those  in  colored  checks  can  be  washed 
without  the  colors  running.  The  straps  which  are  used  for 
fastening  the  clothing  across  the  breast  should  be  made  like 
hame-straps  and  slits  made  in  the  sheets  so  that  the  straps 


FIG.  167. 

can  be  put  in  or  taken  out  at  pleasure.  If  the  straps  with 
the  buckles  and  point  ends  are  sewed  to  the  sheets  the  leather 
becomes  hard  and  rotten  after  being  washed. 

For  spring  and  fall  medium  weight  blankets  and  rugs 
should  be  used  if  the  cost  of  these  additional  pieces  of  cloth- 
ing is  not  too  serious  an  objection. 


DRESS  AND  EXERCISING  CLOTHING. 


297 


DRESS  AND  EXERCISING  CLOTHING. 

A  full  set  of  dress  clothing  consists  of,  first,  a  blanket  ex- 
tending from  the  shoulders  to  the  middle  of  the  croup;  the 
material  may  be  either  plain  or  a  plaid  with  a  darker  or 
lighter  binding  and  a  fillet  cord  which  passes  around  the 


FIG.  1 68. 

quarters  or  is  looped  to  a  button  at  the  end  of  the  blanket. 
Second,  a  pad  cloth  of  the  same  material  and  binding  as  the 
blanket.  This  cloth  is  about  twelve  or  fourteen  inches  wide, 
and  extends  about  the  same  distance  down  from  the  centre  of 
the  back.  Third,  the  roller,  or  surcingle  (Fig.  166)  as  it  is 
sometimes  called,  which  is  heavily  padded  on  the  inner  side 


298 


COOLERS. 


on  that  part  which  bears  on  the  back 
and  the  outer  surface  is  of  webbing 
to  match  the  blanket  in  color.  The 
leather  is  of  double  strapping.  (Some- 
times a  roller  cloth  similar  to  the  pad 
cloth  but  smaller  is  placed  under  the 
roller  in  addition  to  the  pad  cloth.) 
Fourth,  the  breast  cloth,  the  upper  ends 
of  which  are  cut  so  that  they  almost 
reach  the  withers.  The  breast  cloth  is 
held  by  straps  which  extend  from  a  point 
over  the  withers  on  the  blanket,  and  are 
fastened  to  buckles  on  the  corners  of 
the  breast  cloth.  Fifth,  the  hood,  which 
should  be  of  the  full  length  pattern  and 
may  be  either  buttoned  or  fastened  with 
tapes  sewed  to  each  side  under  the  jowl 
and  windpipe.  Sixth,  knee  boots,  the 
fronts  of  which  should  be  of  leather 
and  the  side  pieces  of  the  same  cloth  as 
that  of  the  clothing.  The  backs  of  the 
straps  which  fasten  around  the  leg  above  and  below  the 
knee  should  be  lined  with  chamois  covered  pads.  (See 
Fig.  169.) 

Fig.  1 68  shows  a  horse  in  a  full  set  of  exercising  clothing. 
When  horses  are  exercised  a  breast  cloth  should  be  used  and 
the  blanket  should  not  extend  around  the  breast. 


FIG.  169. 


COOLERS. 


Coolers  are  large  woollen  rugs  used  in  cooling  off  horses 
that  return  to  the  stables  in  a  heated  condition.     Such  rugs 


HOODS. 


29? 


FIG.    170. 


FIG.    171 


800  HEAD  COLLARS. 

should  be  large  enough  to  cover  a  horse  from  the  head  to 
the  end  of  the  tail  and  hang  down  to  the  knees  and  hocks. 
It  is  advisable  to  have  a  heavy  cooler  for  winter  use  and  a 
lighter  one  for  summer. 

For  description  of  roller  pad  and  breast  cloths,  hoods 
and  knee  boots,  see  under  heading  "  Dress  and  Exercising 
Clothing,"  p.  297. 

HEAD    COLLARS. 

Head  collars  are  made  of  brown  leather  and  should  be 
lined  and  either  double  or  triple  stitched.  The  leather  should 
be  well  seasoned  and  soft,  otherwise  the  collar  will  be  weak 
and  apt  to  chafe  the  horse's  head.  They  are  made  in  various 
designs  and  with  plain  or  buckskin  fronts.  The  style  de- 
scribed below  is  the  one  that  best  meets  all  requirements.  The 
cheek-pieces  are  usually  fastened  to  the  nose-band  by  square 
metal  loops.  These  are  not  so  good  as  rings,  as  it  is  difficult 
to  keep  the  four  exposed  corners  clean.  The  writer  has 
found  these  places  neglected  when  the  round  metal  joints  in 
other  parts  of  the  head  collar  have  been  carefully  cleaned. 
Brass  is  the  metal  that  should  be  preferably  chosen  for  the 
loops  and  buckles  of  the  head  collar. 

The  head  collar  used  when  the  horse  is  being  groomed 
is  either  made  of  narrow  russet  leather  without  a  throat 
latch  or  of  white  webbing.  The  writer's  preference  is  for  the 
former,  as  it  does  not  absorb  the  sweat  and  may  be  kept  in  a 
constant  stat£  of  cleanliness. 

"  If  any  one  who  may  read  this  work  holds  economy  worth  considera- 
tion, I  would  suggest  to  him  that  ordering  his  head  collars  to  be  made  with, 
as  it  is  termed,  the  flesh  side  outwards,  causes  them  to  wear  nearly  double 
the  time  of  others."—  Charles  Brindley,  "  The  Pocket  and  the  Stud,"  p.  66. 


HALTER  SHANKS,   GROOMING  ARTICLES,  ETC.        301 
HALTER   SHANKS. 

For  all  conditions  leather  has  been  found  to  be  the  best 
material  to  use  for  fastening  the  horse.  Chains  last  longer 
but  in  the  event  of  a  horse  getting  his  leg  over  the  fastening 
he  is  less  easily  extricated  and  the  chances  of  being  scarred 
or  breaking  a  leg  are  increased.  A  plain  russet  strap  meas- 
uring about  four  feet  six  in  length  and  an  inch  and  a  half 
wide,  with  a  billet  at  one  end  and  the  other  tapered  down  to 
a  point  is  the  type  advised. 

GROOMING    ARTICLES. 

"  It  is  impossible  to  have  the  stable  operations  performed  well,  nor  even 
decently,  without  good  tools  and  good  hands  to  use  them.  There  should 
be  no  want  of  the  necessary  implements.  A  bad  groom  may  do  without 
many  of  them  because  he  does  not  know  their  use;  but  a  good  groom 
requires  brushes,  combs,  sponges,  towels,  skins,  rubbers,  scissors,  bandages, 
cloths,  pails,  forks,  brooms,  and  some  other  little  articles,  all  which  he  should 
have,  if  the  horse  is  to  receive  all  the  care  and  decoration  a  groom  can 
bestow." — -John  Stewart,  "  Stable  Economy"  p.  65. 

COMBS. 

Mane  combs  are  usually  made  of  bone  and  in  the  form 
shown  in  Fig.  176. 

Currycombs  (see  Fig.  1 77)  should  be  made  of  wrought  iron 
and  the  parts  strongly  riveted  together.  The  ribs  should  be 
about  three  quarters  of  an  inch  deep  and  each  one  made  of 
a  single  thickness  of  iron.  Should  the  use  of  the  currycomb 
be  allowed  on  the  horse  it  is  important  that  the  teeth  should 
be  dull,  as  the  majority  of  currycombs  are  made  with  teeth 
so  sharp  that  they  are  liable  to  injure  the  skin.  At  the  front 
and  back  of  the  comb  a  rib  without  teeth  is  generally  fast- 
ened to  prevent  the  teeth  of  the  other  ribs  from  being  pressed 


302 


BRUSHES,   COMBS  AND  SPONGES. 


FIG.    172, 


FIG.    174. 


r°,  <A 


FIG.    173. 


FIG.    175. 


FIG.    176. 


FIG.    177, 


SCRAPERS  AND  HOOF  PICKS. 


303 


FIG.    179. 


FIG.    178. 


FIG.    1 80. 


FIG.    l8l. 


304  DANDY  AND   WATER  BRUSHES,  ETC. 

into  the  skin.     All  of  the  ribs  should  be  firmly  riveted  to  the 
back  of  the  currycomb. 

Trimming  combs  are  made  of  brass,  steel,  rubber  or  bone 
and  the  teeth  are  short  and  close  together.  The  length  of 
the  comb  varies  between  six  and  eight  inches. 

BRUSHES. 

All  the  advice  that  can  be  conveyed  in  writing  is  so 
slight  that  the  writer  can  offer  but  little  assistance  to  the 
novice  regarding  the  purchase  of  these  articles,  other  than 
the  advisability  of  making  the  first  purchase  from  some  well 
known  and  reliable  firm.  The  comparison  that  subsequent 
purchases  made  elsewhere  bear  to  the  original  articles  will 
afford  a  practical  demonstration  of  what  constitutes  the 
best. 

Body  brushes  should  be  of  long,  fine  and  firm  bristles 
and  the  backs  made  of  heavy  pieces  of  leather  well  stitched 
together.  The  length  of  the  bristles  should  be  about  one 
and  one-fourth  inches.  The  back  of  the  brush  should  meas- 
ure about  eight  and  one-half  by  five  inches  and  be  oval  in 
form. 

DANDY    AND    WATER    BRUSHES. 

The  difference  in  the  bristles  between  good  and  inferior 
brushes  is  easily  detected.  The  next  point  in  importance  is 
to  see  that  the  backs  of  the  brushes  are  strongly  fastened  on. 
(See  Figs.  173  and  175.) 

RUBBING-CLOTHS. 

The  regular  linen  crash  rubbing-cloth  is  the  most  service- 
able. It  measures  about  two  feet  four  inches  in  length  and 
breadth.  A  blue  or  red  band  extends  through  the  centre  and 


CHAMOIS.  305 

in  it  is  lettered  "  stable  rubber."  A  liberal  number  of  these 
should  be  provided  as  they  become  readily  soiled  so  that  a 
double  set  is  required  in  order  to  have  clean  ones  always  on 
hand.  Six  for  a  single  horse  or  a  dozen  for  three  horses 
is  sufficient.  They  cost  fifty  cents  apiece.  Rubbers  are 
made  of  other  materials  such  as  Turkish  stuff,  etc.,  but  those 
of  linen  crash  above  described  are  all  that  is  required  under 
ordinary  conditions.  (See  Fig.  182.) 


FIG.  182. 

CHAMOIS. 

Chamois  are  judged  according  to  their  texture,  thickness 
and  size,  the  most  common  defect  is  in  the  variation  in  thick- 
ness which  results  in  a  chamois  going  to  pieces  by  the  giv- 
ing way  of  the  thinnest  parts.  The  degree  of  evenness  in  text- 
ure may  be  seen  by  holding  the  chamois  up  to  the  light, 
when  if  there  are  any  thin  parts  they  will  show  by  appearing 
lighter  in  color  than  the  thicker  ones. 


306  SPONGES,  SCRAPERS  AND  BOOTS. 

SPONGES. 

In  selecting  a  sponge  a  choice  should  be  made  of  one 
that  is  free  from  large  holes  and  any  hard  particles  and 
which  when  bent  backward  or  twisted  does  not  open  out. 
The  grain  should  be  fine  and  of  a  firm  but  not  hard  text- 
ure. The  size  of  the  sponge  should  be  determined  by  the 
use  for  which  it  is  intended,  and  each  sponge  should  be  formed 
by  a  natural  growth  and  not  by  the  cutting  up  of  a  large 
sponge.  (See  Fig.  174.) 

SCRAPERS. 

Scrapers  are  made  in  a  variety  of  forms  and  of  various 
materials.  The  one  that  finds  the  most  favor  is  made  of  a 
narrow  strip  of  brass  with  wooden  or  leather  handles  at  the 
ends.  The  two  other  shapes  in  common  use  are  shown 
in  Figs.  178-180.  The  one  illustrated  in  Fig.  179  is  the 
form  preferred  by  the  writer,  but  it  is  open  to  greater  abuse 
in  the  hands  of  a  careless  or  brutal  servant  than  that  made 
of  a  plain  strip  of  brass. 

BOOTS. 

Boots  are  coverings  used  on  the  horse's  legs  or  feet  for 
the  purpose  of  protecting  the  covered  part  from  being  in- 
jured by  "hitting,"  "  brushing,"  "speedy  cutting,"  or  "inter- 
fering," as  the  contact  of  one  limb  with  another  is  called. 
They  are  made  on  two  general  principles,  one  as  a  preventa- 
tive  and  the  other  as  a  protection.  The  former  are  designed 
with  a  projecting  attachment  which  warns  the  horse  when 
he  travels  too  close.  The  style  is  shown  in  Fig.  186.  Those 
made  for  protection  are  fastened  to  the  leg  by  straps  and 
buckles  or  with  tape  according  to  the  material  of  which  the 
boot  is  made.  Hence  the  uncertainty  of  the  effect  of  a  boot, 


BOOTS. 


307 


FIG.    183. 


FIG.    184. 


FIG.    185. 


FIG.    1 86. 


308 


BOOTS. 


FIG.    187, 


FIG.    1 88. 


FIG.    189. 


FIG.    190. 


CRADLES.  309 

one  horse  often  being  prevented  from  hitting  by  a  certain 
type  which  is  ineffective  when  applied  to  a  horse  that  ap- 
parently interferes  in  the  same  manner.  An  almost  endless 
number  of  forms  have  been  devised  to  satisfy  the  theories 
of  horse  owners.  The  three  most  common  types  of  protec- 
tive boot  are  shown  in  Figs.  183,  184,  187.  All  boots  of  this 
stamp  should  be  so  fitted  and  padded  that  they  will  remain 
in  the  exact  place  where  it  is  thought  the  protection  is 
required. 

In  addition  to  the  boots  used  on  the  horse  when  in 
action  there  are  several  types  which  it  has  been  found  nec- 
essary to  use  on  horses  that,  in  consequence  of  defective 
conformation  or  through  habit,  injure  themselves  when  stand- 
ing in  the  stall.  The  most  common  form  of  stable  boot 
called  the  calking  boot  is  made  of  several  plies  of  heavy 
leather  cut  in  the  form  of  a  disk  about  ten  inches  in  diame- 
ter. (See  Fig.  189.)  The  use  of  this  boot  is  to  prevent  the 
horse  from  standing  with  the  heels  of  one  hind  foot  on  the 
hoof  of  the  other.  The  second  type  is  one  that  completely 
covers  the  hoof  and  is  used  to  prevent  the  covered  part  from 
being  injured  by  the  iron  prongs  of  shoes  that  have  been 
sharpened  to  prevent  the  horse  from  slipping  on  the  snow 
and  ice.  (See  Fig.  188.)  Another  form  of  boot  often  re- 
quired to  prevent  a  horse  from  causing  a  boil  to  develop  in 
consequence  of  the  pressure  of  the  heels  of  the  shoe  on  the 
elbow  is  shown  in  Fig.  190. 

CRADLES. 

Cradles  (see  Fig.  191)  are  used  to  prevent  the  horse  from 
turning  his  head  in  an  attempt  to  tear  the  blanket  or  remove 
some  irritating  application.  Almost  the  same  restraint  can 


310  MUZZLES,  FORKS  AND  BANDAGES. 


FIG. 


be  imposed  by  attaching  a  broom  handle  cut  so  that  one  end 
may  be  fastened  to  the  side  of  the  roller  and  the  other  to 
the  side  of  the  nose-band. 

MUZZLES. 

One  or  more  muzzles  will  be  required  from  time  to  time 
according  to  the  number  of  horses.  The  best  muzzles  are 
made  of  heavy  leather  and  the  bottoms  lined  with  zinc. 
There  should  be  small  holes  in  the  sides  and  bottom. 

FORKS. 

Forks  used  about  the  stalls  should  be  of  wood,  either 
hickory  or  ash.  As  the  forks  are  apt  to  be  carelessly 
handled,  the  steel  ones  should  be  limited  to  use  in  the  hay 
loft  or  manure  pit. 

BANDAGES. 

For  description  see  under  Bandaging  in  Chapter  XVI. 


FORKS. 


311 


FIG.    192, 


FIG.    193. 


312  COST. 

COST. 

For  prices  of  dressings,  compositions,  etc.,  see  tabulated 
list  in  Chapter  III,  Expenses. 

Straight  roadster  whip  about    ........           .  $1.00  to    $5.00 

Single  or  pair-horse  holly  whip  from ,  3.50  to     15.00 

Tandem  or  four-in-hand  whip  about      .     ....     .     ,     .  5.00  to    15.00 

Jointed  tandem  or  four-in-hand  whip  about    .     .     .,-..•'.  15.0010    28.00 

Riding  whip  with  bamboo  stick  and  bone  handle  about     .  5.00 

Cutting  whip  with  plaited  gut  covering  about       .     .  /.--.••    .  3.50 

Coaching  horn  about 20.00 

Tanden  horn  about 15.00 

Hunting  horn  about 5.00 

Box-cloth  carriage  robe  ab  ut 35 .00 

Lighter  material  robe  about 18.00 

Driving  apron 8.00 

Box  seat  aprons 45.00 

Waterproof  covering  for  the  horse 1 1 .00 

Dress  blanket 15.00 

Quarter  blanket 15.00 

Winter  blanket 7.50 

Summer  blanket '_.'«•    .     .  3.50 

Spring  blanket 4.50 

Night  rugs,  heavy  weight,  about 7.50 

Night  rugs,  light  weight,  about *     .     .  3.50 

Canvas  blanket  about 2.50 

Linen  sheet  about , 1.50 

Suit  of  dress  stable  clothing  about ;  >  30.00 

Cooler,  heavy  weight,  about ;     .     .  5.00 

Cooler,  light  weight,  about '.         ,.  3.50 

Head  collar ••••..  3.00 

Halter  shank    ,  i.oo 


CHAPTER   XII. 
STABLE  SERVANTS. 

CHARACTER,    EDUCATION,    TYPES,    WAGES,    MEANS    OF 
OBTAINING,    ETC. 

COACHMEN  and  grooms  do  not 
form  a  class  from  which  angels  are 
exclusively  chosen,  and  there  is  no 
harder  task  in  the  establishment  of 
a  stable,  nor  one  which  is  so  seldom 
productive  of  success,  as  the  en- 
deavor to  find  a  competent  and 
reliable  coachman  or  groom.  So 
much  depends  upon  the  good  luck 
of  the  first  venture  that  the  author 
enjoins  the  novice  to  avoid  a  hasty 
decision.  The  temptation  to  take 
an  applicant  of  mediocre  accom- 
plishments increases  with  each  suc- 
ceeding interview  with  an  absolutely 
worthless  servant  or  by  the  alluring 

assurance  of  a  self-appointed  paragon  of  perfection,  that  his 
services  are  being  sought  by  several  prominent  owners. 

Good  men  are  not  to  be  found  at  all  times,  "  which  goes 
without  saying,"  the  reader  may  remark,  yet  he  or  she,  if 
requiring  the  services  of  a  coachman,  is  surprised  or  dis- 
couraged in  not  being  able  to  find  a  good  one  at  once,  or 
goes  to  the  other  extreme  of  placing  implicit  confidence  in 

313 


314  OWNERS  AT  FAULT. 

an  untried  servant.  On  the  other  hand,  there  are  men  who 
are  all  that  can  be  desired,  but  they,  as  a  rule,  command 
high  wages  and  seek  situations  where  they  are  afforded 
every  opportunity  of  thoroughly  performing  their  vocation. 
Should  the  reader  have. the  good  fortune  to  find  a  man  of 
this  stamp,  be  fair  in  his  treatment,  encourage  him  with  praise 
when  it  is  deserved,  and  do  not  begrudge  him  the  requisites 
for  doing  his  work  nor  blame  him  if  the  horses,  harness  and 
carriage  are  not  cleaned  by  seven  in  the  morning  when  he 
has  been  kept  up  until  after  midnight. 

Owners  of  experience  have  found  that  good  foreign  ser- 
vants are  better  than  the  democratic  born  talent,  and  a  tyro 
will  save  himself  much  needless  expense  and  annoyance  if  he 
places  a  highly  recommended  and  trained  English  servant  in 
charge  of  what  he  desires  to  be  a  well  appointed  establish- 
ment. It  is  impossible  at  the  present  day  for  the  average 
native  stable  servant  to  obtain  the  training  and  experience 
which  is  necessary  in  the  production  of  a  competent  and  well 
educated  coachman.  The  exception  to  this  general  rule  is  in 
those  men  whose  position  is  limited  to  the  care  of  the  trotting 
horse,  and  in  the  discharge  of  these  duties  a  well  trained 
native  servant  is  unexcelled. 

OWNERS    AT    FAULT. 

In  this  country,  owing  to  a  general  ignorance  of  the  qual- 
ifications required  for  fulfilling  the  position  of  a  coachman, 
servants  are  employed  who  have  a  mere  smattering  of  stable 
knowledge.  The  average  so-called  coachman  is  a  man  who 
has  had  no  training  and  only  sufficient  experience  to  enable 
him  to  put  the  parts  of  a  turn-out  together  so  that  it  can 
move.  The  standard  of  excellence  being  so  low,  men  will 


OWNERS   AT  FAULT.  315 

not  serve  the  long  apprenticeship  which  is  necessary  for  those 
who  become  masters  of  their  calling.  At  present  the  large 
demand  for  stable  servants  who  can  lay  claim  to  any  prior 
experience  with  horses  offers  opportunities  for  haw-bucks 
and  strappers  to  command  wages  to  which  only  men  of  ability 
should  be  entitled.  As  long  as  the  master  remains  ignorant, 
the  servant  will  continue  incompetent ;  the  task  of  raising  the 
standard,  therefore,  falls  upon  the  employer  and  the  period- 
icals devoted  to  the  interests  of  the  horse. 

Mr.  F.  J.  Morgan,  writing  under  the  pseudonym  of  "  Pe- 
lagius,"  expresses  himself  regarding  the  inability  of  the  aver- 
age coachman  as  follows : 

"  A  profession,  it  appears  to  me,  requiring  no  previous  knowledge  or 
education  or  recommendation  as  to  capability.  A  man  has  only  to  put  on  a 
pair  of  tight  trousers,  touch  his  hat  quickly  every  time  he  is  spoken  to,  and 
he  is  able  to  get  a  situation.  Ladies  especially  are  apt  to  waive  taking  up  a 
character  if  any  difficulties  are  put  in  their  way,  such  as  '  their  late  master 
being  abroad,'  etc.,  providing  the  man  is  clean  in  appearance  and  civil 
spoken.  ...  In  nine  cases  out  of  ten  of  the  carriages  we  see  the  horses  are 
wrongly  put  to.  Either  their  traces  want  taking  up  or  letting  out  a  hole  or 
two.  The  bearing-rein  is  too  short  and  the  crupper  too  long,  bringing  the 
pad  halfway  up  the  horse's- neck ;  or  you  see  the  pole  pieces  too  short, 
bringing  the  points  of  the  shoulders  against  the  pole,  which  soon  makes 
them  sore  and  then  the  horses  pull  away  from  each  other.  This  bad  habit 
is  always  caused,  in  the  first  onset,  by  stupidity  and  want  of  common  sense. 
I  don't  think  there  is  one  man  or  woman  in  forty  who  keeps  a  carriage 
who  would  get  into  it  if  he  or  she  were  aware  of  the  ignorance  of  their 
coachmen  and  the  consequent  number  of  risks  taken  in  each  drive.  The 
'  confidence  trick  gentleman '  is  always  severely  dealt  with,  but  he  is  not 
nearly  so  dangerous  a  person  as  a  coachman  who  knows  nothing  of  his 
profession.  To  be  a  coachman  it  is  not  only  necessary  that  he  should  have 
sufficient  sagacity  to  steer  clear  of  anything  passing.  This  part  of  the  per- 
formance is  merely  instinct,  such  as  one  pig  would  display  if  he  met  another 
pig."  —  "  How  to  buy  a  Horse"  p.  67. 


316 


BAD  TRAITS  AND  EDUCATION. 


BAD    TRAITS. 

Certain  objectionable  characteristics  are  found  among  all 
classes  of  stable  servants.  Drunkenness,  brutality,  moral 
obliquity  in  its  various  forms,  profanity,  laziness,  sullenness, 
and  bad  manners  are  those  most  frequently  met  with,  and  it 
requires  much  care  and  some  experience  to  detect  their  pres- 
ence before  they  are  actually  introduced  into  your  establish* 
ment. 

THE    EDUCATION    OF    A    COACHMAN. 

Some  idea  of  the  difference  between  a 
past  master  of  the  art  and  the  average 
ploughboy  coachman  may  be  drawn  from 
a  description  of  what  a  coachman  in  the 
highest  sense  of  the  word  should  be,  and 
what  the  few  men  worthy  of  the  name 
actually  are. 

The  embryo  coachman  in  the  raw 
material  of  a  lad  about  to  learn  the  rudi- 
ments of  stable  work  must  be  of  the 
proper  physique  and  appearance,  amen- 
able to  reason,  and  endowed  with  an  even 
temperament  and  a  brain  capable  of  de- 
velopment. Without  such  qualifications  in  a  crude  shape  to 
start  with,  it  is  useless  for  a  man  to  aspire  to  the  dignity  of 
a  coachman ;  he  may  by  perserverance  and  good  character 
become  an  excellent  second-rate  man,  but  never  one  to  reach 
the  highest  rung  of  the  ladder. 

The  coachman's  first  period  of  apprenticeship  begins 
immediately  upon  leaving  school,  although  in  all  likelihood 
if  he  is  "  born  to  his  calling"  his  early  childhood  and  sum- 


THE  EDUCATION  OF  A  COACHMAN.  317 

mer  vacations  will  be  spent  in  helping  his  father  or  a  brother 
in  the  stable  work.  By  such  means  he  becomes  more  famil- 
iar with  "  the  ropes  "  before  he  has  mastered  his  "speller" 
than  is  the  average  self-styled  full-fledged  coachman.  His 
serious  regular  work  begins  with  the  drudgery  of  building 
and  lighting  fires  at  daybreak,  beating  the  blankets,  cleaning 
up  the  stalls  and  putting  things  to  rights  ;  he  is  taught  to 
do  his  work  quickly  and  thoroughly,  to  carry  himself  prop- 
erly and  to  be  respectful  in  manner  and  speech. 

After  two  or  three  years  of  such  service  he  is  taught  to 
bed  down  the  stalls  and  is  allowed,  in  addition  to  this  unin- 
teresting work,  the  privilege  of  taking  the  horses  to  the 
blacksmith  or  to  exercise.  During  the  latter  part  of  the 
three  or  four  years  devoted  to  these  duties  he  is  put  on  "  the 
steels  "  and  rough  leather,  i.  e.,  the  scouring  and  burnishing 
of  bits,  etc.,  and  the  washing  and  cleaning  of  old  harness. 
He  is  next  advanced  to  the  feeding,  blanketing,  bandaging, 
and  grooming  of  the  horses.  It  is  usually  toward  the  end 
of  this  period  that  he  begins  the  washing  of  carriages  and 
makes  his  initial  appearance  in  livery  as  .carriage  groom. 

From  this  time  on  the  rapidity  of  his  advancement  is 
dependent  upon  his  dexterity,  degree  of  observation  and 
aptitude.  He  has  now  to  learn  how  to  clean  fine  harness, 
livery  and  robes,  trim  manes  and  tails,  to  properly  "  put  to  " 
from  one  to  four  horses,  to  drive  any  of  that  number  in  a 
workmanlike  manner  and  to  act  as  under-coachman.  After 
four  years  thus  spent  under  the  discipline  of  a  master  of  the 
art  he  seeks  a  position  where  he  can  think  for  himself,  i.  e., 
use  the  knowledge  he  has  acquired  which  is  shown  in  the 
judgment  he  uses  regarding  the  amount  and  kind  of  food 
necessary  to  keep  the  horses  in  the  pink  of  condition,  the 


318         COMPETENT  AND  INCOMPETENT  SERVANTS. 

varying  of  the  blanketing  according  to  the  changing  tem- 
perature, the  inspection  of  the  shoeing,  the  fitting  of  the 
harness,  the  thorough  performance  of  the  work  by  the  under- 
men,  the  fulfilment  of  his  duties  on  the  box,  the  keeping  of 
the  stable  accounts  and  in  maintaining  a  high  standard  of 
excellence  throughout  the  establishment. 

"  The  gentleman's  coachman  is  not  the  same  being  in  the  city  that  he 
appears  in  the  country.  In  the  crowded  streets  of  large  towns  he  should 
have  nothing  to  learn.  Skill  in  driving  is  his  most  essential  qualification. 
Sobriety  stands  next,  and  after  that,  experience  in  the  stable  management 
of  his  horses.  He  should  be  careful  at  all  times ;  cool  when  accidents  hap- 
pen ;  kind  to  his  horses ;  active,  robust,  good  looking ;  of  a  mature  age  ; 
not  disposed  to  sleep  on  the  box,  nor  too  fond  of  company.  He  should  be 
punctual  to  a  moment ;  always  ready,  indeed,  an  hour  before  he  is  wanted. 
He  should  have  a  religious  regard  to  cleanliness.  It  should  be  his  pride  to 
excel  others,  and  to  have  everything  in  the  most  exact  order.  Nothing  -looks 
worse  than  a  slovenly,  ill-appointed  coachman.  He  should  have  none  of 
the  indecent  slang  so  common  among  worthless  stablemen." — John 
Stewart,  "  Stable  Economy"  p.  69. 

WORK    OF    COMPETENT    AND    INCOMPETENT    SERVANTS 
COMPARED. 

The  contrast  is  apparent  at  once  between  the  manage- 
ment of  a  stable  with  a  capable  man  in  charge  compared 
with  one  where  the  responsible  position  is  filled  by  an  infe- 
rior servant.  If  the  owner  of  a  well  conducted  establish- 
ment makes  a  tour  of  inspection  at  six  o'clock  in  the  morn- 
ing he  will  not  discover  the  stable  locked  up,  the  servants 
asleep,  or  the  horses  penned  up  in  a  close  unventilated 
apartment;  instead,  he  finds  the  day's  work  begun,  the  doors 
and  windows  thrown  open  and  the  horses  enjoying  a  feed 
of  hay,  after  a  comfortable  night's  rest  in  a  good  atmosphere. 
Moreover,  the  daily  work  is  begun  and  done  with  regularity 


COMPETENT  AND  INCOMPETENT  SERVANTS.        319 

and  promptness,  the  night  blankets  are  beaten  and  aired, 
sponges  and  brushes  placed  in  the  sunshine  to  dry,  the  day 
blankets  and  head  collars  put  on,  the  brow-bands  freshly 
pipe-clayed,  and  the  metal  parts  polished.  By  half  past 
eight  or  nine  the  stable  is  all  "  set  fair "  for  the  day,  the 
horses  given  an  amount  of  food  proportionate  with  the 
amount  of  work  they  are  called  upon  to  perform,  and  later 
in  the  morning,  if  there  are  no  orders  for  the  day,  they  are 
exercised.  The  bandages  and  rubbing-cloths  are  then 
washed  and  hung  out  to  dry,  the  stable  tools  cleaned,  and 
the  grounds  about  the  stable  put  in  order. 

Now  let  it  be  supposed  that  an  order  is  given  for  the 
brougham  and  pair  with  two  men  on  the  box  at  one  o'clock. 
The  horses  are  fed  at  eleven  instead  of  twelve,  the  carriage 
is  run  into  place  and  dusted,  the  livery  is  got  ready.  At 
twelve  the  servants  go  to  their  dinner;  they  return  at  twenty 
minutes  past  and  the  groom  harnesses  the  horses,  while  the 
coachman  dons  his  livery,  with  the  exception  of  his  body 
coat  and  hat.  He  then  appears  with  his  clothes  protected 
by  an  apron  and  puts  the  horses  in  while  the  groom  is  dress- 
ing, and  at  five  minutes  to  one  the  trap  draws  up  at  the 
owner's  door. 

It  all  seems  very  simple,  it  is  only  what  might  be  expected, 
and  there  appears  to  be  no  reason  why  it  should  be  other- 
wise ;  however,  with  bad  management  the  result  would  not 
have  been  the  same.  The  order  in  all  likelihood  would  have 
been  misunderstood,  the  horses  watered  and  fed  just  before 
going  out,  the  groom  thoughtlessly  sent  off  on  some  errand, 
the  livery  hurriedly  jumped  into  and  the  turn-out  twenty 
minutes  late  in  making  its  appearance ;  for  which  last  fault, 
resulting  in  the  mistress  being  forced  to  take  a  cab  in  order 


320 


COMPETENT  AND  INCOMPETENT  SERVANTS. 


to  be  in  time  for  a  luncheon  engagement,  the  master  accepts 
some  lame  excuse  in  reply  to  his  remonstrance. 

The  finished  coachman  does  not  talk  to  the  groom  on 
the  box,  but  keeps  him  at  all  times  up  to  his  duties.  In 
stopping  before  a  house  or  shop  he  gradually  lessens  the 
speed  of  the  horses  and  draws  up  and  starts  with  the  great- 
est care ;  he  takes  the  precaution  to  be  within  hailing  dis- 
tance when  his  master  or  mistress  are  calling  or  shopping  or 
when  leaving  them  at  some  new  house  where  a  mistake  in 
the  number  or  street  may  have  been  made.  Upon  return- 
ing to  the  stable  the  horses  are  thoroughly  groomed  and 
blanketed,  the  carriage  and  harness  cleaned  and  the  regu- 
lar evening  work  completed. 

Again  all  this  part  of  the 
work  is  usually  very  differently 
conducted  by  the  jack-of-all- 
trades  coachman  who  takes  ad- 
vantage of  the  opportunity 
while  out  to  gaze  into  the  shop 
windows,  recognize  cab-driver 
acquaintances  and  carry  on  a 
humorous  conversation  with 
his  companion  on  the  box. 
The  carriage  bounds  from  rut 
to  rut,  curbstones  are  scraped 
in  rounding  corners,  and  the 
stop  at  the  desired  destination 

is  made  with  an  abruptness  that  sends  the  turn-out  and  its 
occupants  into  "pie,"  as  the  printers  term  a  state  of  chaos. 
By  chance  the  owner  has  made  a  mistake  in  the  number  of 
the  house,  but  by  the  time  it  is  discovered  the  equipage  is 


PERSONAL  APPEARANCE.  321 

on  its  way  back  to  the  stable,  the  coachman  and  groom 
smoking  or  joking.  On  arriving  home  the  horses  are 
"  slipped  out "  of  their  harness,  run,  hot  and  dirty,  into  their 
stalls,  the  carriage  and  harness  hastily  sponged  over,  a  feed 
of  oats  tossed  into  the  mangers,  and  the  servants  are  off  for 
the  night. 

PERSONAL   APPEARANCE. 

Those  stable  servants  whose  duties  require  them  to  appear 
in  livery  should  not  be  abnormally  large,  small,  dispropor- 
tionately built  or  in  any  other  way  conspicuous.  Coachmen 
and  grooms  who  are  round  shouldered,  crane-necked,  or 
gawky  in  carriage  or  movements  mar  the  symmetry  of  an  other- 
wise well  appointed  trap.  A  coachman  should  be  between 
five  feet  seven  and  a  half  and  five  feet  eleven,  and  weigh 
from  one  hundred  and  forty  to  one  hundred  and  seventy 
pounds.  The  groom  should  be  shorter  and  of  lighter  build 
than  the  coachman.  Men,  called  coachmen,  are  frequently 
seen  indulging  in  some  form  of  hirsute  luxury,  such  as  a  flow- 
ing beard  and  waxed  mustache,  or  dangling  locks.  The  objec- 
tions to  such  vanities  are  thoroughly  justified  by  all  the  laws 
of  cleanliness.  Go  to  the  stable  when  the  horses  are  being 
groomed  and  notice  the  dirt  with  which  the  air  is  filled, 
and  it  is  at  once  evident  that  the  cleaner  shaven  a  man  is 
the  better ;  moreover,  a  servant  cannot  appear  as  neat  and 
trim  when  wearing  a  beard  or  rnustache  as  he  can  without 
these  facial  decorations.  Both  coachman  and  groom  should 
be  clean  shaven  as  to  chin  and  upper  lip.  The  carriage 
and  pad  groom  should  always  be  smaller  than  the  coachman 
and  both  men  of  about  the  same  type,  so  that  no  difference 
in  the  shape  of  the  livery  is  necessary.  As  the  duties  of 


322  TYPES  OF  STABLE  SERVANTS. 

these  servants  bring  them  in  contact  with  ladies,  it  is  abso- 
lutely necessary  that  they  should  be  neat  in  appearance, 
respectful,  obedient  and  thoughtful. 

The  men  who  choose  the  position  of  coachman  or 
groom  as  a  means  of  earning  their  livelihood  should  cheer- 
fully accept  all  the  conditions  demanded  by  either  vocation. 
They  should  obey  without  demurring,  be  respectful,  endeavor 
to  oblige  by  attentions,  and  be  sober  and  honest  to  an  ex- 
tent that  will  warrant  the  fullest  confidence  of  those  whom 
they  serve.  A  coachman  who  understands  his  work  thor- 
oughly and  can  offer  these  personal  qualifications  will  al- 
ways be  able  to  secure  a  situation  where  his  merits  will  be 
appreciated.  But  the  life  of  those  men  who  fall  short  of 
these  requirements  is  one  of  uncertainty,  a  mixture  of  hard- 
ships and  idleness. 

"There  are  several  kinds  of  stable  servants.  There  are  coachmen, 
grooms,  hunting-grooms,  training-grooms,  head-grooms,  head-lads,  boys, 
strappers,  ostlers,  carters,  and  many  more  of  smaller  note.  Taken  alto- 
gether, they  form  a  class  which  cannot  be  easily  described.  Some  of  them 
are  very  decent  men,  filling  their  station  with  respectability ;  and  often 
at  the  close  of  a  long  and  useful  servitude,  receiving  the  approbation  and 
reward  which  their  conduct  deserves.  Some  are  humane  to  their  horses, 
dutiful,  careful  and  vigilant ;  many  know  their  business  well,  and  are  able 
to  teach  it  so  admirably,  that  I  have  often  thought  it  a  pity  there  should  be 
no  school  where  these  men  might  practically  instruct  others."  — John 
Stewart,  "  Stable  Economy,"  p.  67. 

TYPES  OF  STABLE  SERVANTS. 

Stable  servants,  especially  coachmen,  may  be  divided 
into  four  distinct  classes,  according  to  their  ability  and  char- 
acter. The  line  of  demarcation  separating  these  classes  is 
not  very  clearly  defined,  but  the  representative  characters 
from  each  exhibit  a  strong  contrast. 


HEAD  LAD   IN   STABLE  CLOTHES. 


TYPES  OF  STABLE  SERVANTS.  323 

The  lowest  order  is  made  up  of  "  green  hands "  (men 
who  have  little  or  no  experience  writh  horses);  "jack  of  all 
trades,  masters  of  none,"  and  men  other  than  coachmen  who 
are  out  of  work  and  seek  any  kind  of  employment.  Men  of 
this  stamp  will  undertake  to  care  for  from  one  to  four  horses, 
carry  wood  and  coal,  wash  windows  and  mow  the  grass  or 
shovel  snow.  Unless  a  person  has  an  old  horse,  harness  and 
carriage  concerning  the  care  of  which  he  is  indifferent  and 
chiefly  requires  some  one  on  the  place  to  do  chores,  this 
type  of  stable  servant  is  a  petty  luxury.  Receiving  but 
small  wages,  they  care  little  about  thoroughness  in  the  per- 
formance of  the  work,  "  so  long  as  they  keep  out  of  trouble 
with  the  boss."  With  such  men  in  charge  a  horse,  unless 
accustomed  to  rough  treatment  or  of  iron  constitution,  con- 
tracts cold,  gets  off  his  feed,  becomes  lame  and  at  last  breaks 
down,  and  the  carriage  and  harness  likewise  find  their  way 
to  destruction. 

Blame  is  liberally  bestowed  upon  the  man-of-all-work, 
whereas  he  is  simply  the  innocent  victim  of  the  owner's  mis- 
judgment  or  ill-advised  economy,  and  for  one  reason  or  an- 
other, but  generally  without  any  reason  whatsoever,  the 
master  has  employed  a  class  of  man  to  perform  work  which 
demands  the  intelligence  of  a  brain  commanding  half  again 
or  double  the  sum  he  is  paying.  The  wages  of  men  of  this 
stamp  vary  from  thirty  to  forty  dollars  per  month.  They 
"  find  themselves,"  which  is  the  stable  vernacular  signifying 
that  they  provide  themselves  with  food  and  sometimes  lodg- 
ing. 

The  second  of  the  four  divisions  into  which  it  has  been 
found  consistent  to  divide  stable  servants  is  composed  of  poor 
under-men  from  private  stables,  enterprising  hack  drivers 


324  TYPES  OF  STABLE  SERVANTS. 

and  the  hapless  body  of  once  capable  men  who,  owing  to 
drunkenness  or  some  equally  serious  vice,  have  fallen  from 
grace. 

The  members  of  this  class  are  either  unreliable  and  of 
indifferent  habits  or  careless  about  their  work  and  appear- 
ance. These  are  the  men  who  "  know  it  all "  and  who  most 
stubbornly  resent  any  interference.  They  are  the  most 
varying  in  ability  and  character  and  are  usually  of  a  roving 
disposition,  partially  enforced  by  their  inability  and  in  some 
measure  due  to  a  desire  to  avoid  steady  work.  Such  servants 
are  only  fit  for  stables  maintained  for  hard  and  rough  service, 
i.  e.,  station  work,  etc.  Representatives  of  this  class  form 
nine  tenths  of  the  applicants  for  places  as  coachmen  or 
grooms,  and  are  the  most  undesirable,  as  they  are  up  to  all 
the  tricks  of  the  trade, —  and  there  are  many  of  them. 
These  men  ask  from  forty  to  fifty  dollars  a  month,  but  are 
usually  willing  to  take,  what  they  are  worth,  less.  A  bed- 
room in  the  stable  or  house  is  expected,  but  the  man  pro- 
vides his  board. 

The  next  class,  though  not  the  best  in  point  of  excellence, 
is  the  one  which  the  writer  strongly  advises  the  reader  who 
has  in  contemplation  the  possession  of  from  one  to  three 
horses  to  draw  his  servant.  These  men  take  situations  in 
small  stables  because  through  some  failing,  usually  a  want  of 
executive  ability  or  inexperience,  they  are  incapable  of  filling 
more  responsible  positions.  It  is  advisable  to  guard  against 
the  commission  of  oversights  resulting  from  "lack  of  head" 
by  employing  a  servant  so  thoroughly  trained  that  he  does 
by  forc£  of  habit  what  he  should  be  prompted  to  do  by  in- 
stinct and  judgment.  The  men  of  this  class  are  usually 
sober  and  industrious.  They  value  a  good  place  and  often 


TYPES  OF  STABLE  SERVANTS.  325 

make  faithful  servants,  working  indirectly  for  their  own  inter- 
est through  that  of  their  master. 

Although  not  so  thoroughly  "  up  "  in  the  elements  of 
style  and  good  form  as  the  highest  type  of  stable  servant, 
this  stamp  of  man  is  familiar  with  the  duties  of  a  well  con- 
ducted stable  and  is  capable  of  directing  the  work  of  an 
under-man.  Some  of  the  best  of  this  class  are  thoroughly 
trained,  level-headed  and  observing  men  who  have  lately 
emerged  from  the  chrysalis  state  of  second  men  of  large 
establishments.  In  the  matter  of  appointments  such  men 
are  better  informed  than  the  average  coachmen  of  this  class. 
Men  of  the  above  description  have  an  appearance  of  intelli- 
gence, frankness  and  respectability,  which  is  lacking  in  their 
less  favored  brethren.  Their  wages  range  between  fifty 
and  sixty  dollars  per  month.  They  board,  but  do  not  lodge 
themselves. 

The  fourth  class  is  composed  of  men  who,  from  possess- 
ing higher  mental  and  moral  attainments  than  their  confreres, 
fill  the  position  of  head  men,  whose  duty  it  is  to  direct  the 
management  of  the  stable.  As  has  been  stated  by  many 
writers  on  the  subject,  proficient  servants,  who  by  early  train- 
ing, long  experience  and  a  special  aptitude  have  become 
masters  in  the  arts  demanded  by  the  requirements  of  such  a 
position,  form  an  exceedingly  small  percentage  of  those 
who  enroll  themselves  under  the  sobriquet  of  coachmen. 

The  nominal  duties  of  this  class  are  the  ordering  and 
examination  of  the  quality  of  the  fodder  and  bedding,  the  su- 
pervision of  the  feeding  and  dieting  of  the  horses,  the  blanket- 
ing, grooming,  harnessing,  and  the  inspection  of  the  condition 
of  the  carriages,  harness  and  shoeing,  receiving  the  daily 
orders,  driving  when  the  owner  or  his  wife  uses  the  carriage, 


326  GROOMS. 

and  the  care  of  sick  horses,  except  when  the  trouble  is  of  a 
serious  nature.  A  position  of  this  kind  requires  experience, 
judgment,  honesty,  sobriety,  method  and  tact,  a  combination 
of  faculties  and  acquirements  not  frequently  met  with  even  in 
much  higher  walks  of  life.  The  desirable  men  of  this  class 
are  simple,  practical  and  reliable.  These  men  command  a 
salary  of  from  sixty  to  eighty  dollars  per  month.  They 
board  but  do  not  lodge  themselves,  and  expect  to  be  provided 
with  coal  and  light  or  its  equivalent  in  money. 

Flying  the  same  flag,  but  totally  unworthy  of  their  colors, 
is  as  worthless  a  set  of  arrant  rascals  as  ever  drew  the  breath 
of  life.  They  usually  possess  or  profess  to  be  blessed  with 
high  sounding  aristocratic  names,  moreover  they  are  as 
arrogant  and  lazy  as  they  are  often  able  men  whose  worth 
has  been  destroyed  by  drink  or  the  perverted  belief  that  they 
belong  to  the  favored  class  which  was  born  to  rule.  Besides 
being  lazy  they  are  overbearing  with  the  men  under  them, 
and  depend  largely  on  the  fact  of  having  been  at  one  time  in 
a  nobleman's  or  very  rich  gentleman's  stable  for  the  consid- 
eration and  admiration  they  endeavor  to  command.  These 
worthless  and  discarded  servants  of  sumptuous  establish- 
ments are  expensive  and  demoralizing  supernumeraries  to  any 
stable,  as  they  are  expert  extortionists  of  bribes  and  com- 
missions, and  set  an  example  in  manners  and  dissipating 
propensities  which  cannot  fail  to  have  an  evil  effect  on  the 
other  employees  of  the  stable. 

GROOMS. 

Grooms  are  drawn  from  a  class  formed  by  men  who  are 
learning  their  vocation  and  by  those  whose  march  toward  a 
higher  goal  has  been  interrupted  or  terminated  in  conse- 


BOYS— MEANS  OF  OBTAINING.  327 

quence  of  some  mental,  moral  or  physical  failing.  As  the 
work  for  which  this  class  of  man  is  required  demands  strength 
and  strict  obedience  to  orders,  young  men  should  be  chosen 
in  preference  to  old  ones,  especially  in  cases  where  the  under- 
man  is  employed  as  carriage  or  pad  groom.  The  wages  of 
grooms  vary  between  twenty-five  and  forty-five  dollars  per 
month,  according  to  their  ability  and  personal  appearance. 
They  board  but  do  not  lodge  themselves. 

BOYS. 

Regarding  the  employment  of  boys,  Charles  Brindley  in 
the  "Pocket  and  the  Stud,"  p.  75,  says: 

"  The  instant  a  boy  is  trusted  alone,  it  matters  not  whether  he  be  heir  of 
the  family,  or  the  fag  of  the  stables,  he  is  safe  to  be  in  some  mischief,  and 
woe  to  the  animal  under  his  control.  To  tease  and,  in  a  certain  degree,  to 
torture  animals  is  the  delight  of  most  of  them.  I  know  of  few  animals  more 
annoyed  than  the  pony  of  one  of  these  young  imps,  apparently  fond  of  the 
animal  as  he  may  appear  to  be.  Keep  a  pony  for  mamma's  darling,  if  you 
like,  but  in  mercy's  name  never  trust  the  animal  to  the  boy's  sole  control. 
.  .  .  Let  me,  therefore,  especially  guard  persons  against  employing  boys  in 
any  capacity  about  horses  in  situations  where  they  cannot  be  narrowly 
watched.  Boys  are  as  artful  as  men,  and  may  appear  steady  and  disinclined 
to  mischief;  but  this  one  thing  is  certain  —  nothing  but  absolute  dread,  and 
constant  watching  into  the  bargain,  will  keep  them  from  it." 

MEANS    OF    OBTAINING. 

The  channels  through  which  stable  servants  can  be  ob- 
tained are  more  numerous  than,  at  first  thought,  might  be 
supposed  :  "  Situations  wanted  "  columns  of  daily  papers  and 
sporting  periodicals,  intelligence  offices,  industrial  bureaus, 
religious  unions,  carriage  and  harness  stores,  and  through 
other  owners  and  coachmen.  The  best  men  the  writer  has 
had  in  his  stable  were  obtained  through  other  good  men. 


328  FORM  OF  INTELLIGENT  REPLY. 

Coachmen  are  likely  to  have  friends  of  similar  character,  and 
a  good  servant  will  only  recommend  those  men  of  whom  he 
is  willing  to  assume  the  sponsorship.  When  coachmen  and 
grooms  are  procured  through  advertisements,  much  time  and 
annoyance  can  be  saved  by  the  use  of  a  postal  card  in  the 
following  manner : 

To  A  B,  care  of  Daily     *     * 

Please  reply  to  the  following  questions  in  a  sealed  enve- 
lope, directed  to  the  above  address  (a  personal  application 
will  receive  no  attention) :  i,  name  ;  2,  address  ;  3,  age  ;  4,  na- 
tionality ;  5,  married  or  single  ;  6,  amount  of  wages  expected  ; 
7,  name  and  address  of  last  employer.  Enclose  photograph. 
The  position  to  be  filled  is  that  of  coachman  (or  groom, 
as  the  case  may  be).  One  night  off  every  week  or  afternoon 
and  evening  off  every  other  week.  The  work  begins  sharp 
at  6  A.  M.  No  commissions.  The  position  can  only  be  held 
by  a  thoroughly  trained,  reliable,  willing  and  sober  man. 

FORM    OF    INTELLIGENT    REPLY. 

Newport,  Aug.     *     189    * 
Dear  Sir: 

In  reply  to  your  questions  received  to-day,  I  beg  to 
state : 

1.  Name,     *     *     * 

2.  Address,     *     West     *     St.,  New  York  City. 

3.  Age,  forty  years. 

4.  Nationality,  English. 

5.  Married,  two  children. 

6.  Amount  of  wages  expected,  $60  per  month,  house,  coal 
and  light. 

7.  Name  and  address  of  last  employer,     *     *     * 


METHOD  OF  ENGAGING.  329 

Please  find  photograph  enclosed  as  requested.  In  the 
event  of  being  engaged  by  you,  I  should  like  to  know  if  there 
is  any  public  school  convenient  for  my  children.  I  am, 

Yours  respectfully, 

#     #     * 

ENGAGING. 

It  is  advisable  to  state  that  answers  to  such  queries  shall 
be  sent  either  to  the  general  post  office  or  to  the  place  of 
business  in  order  to  avoid  bringing  your  departing  servant 
in  direct  or  indirect  contact  with  applicants  for  the  position. 
Having  received  a  supply  of  answers  to  your  postals,  from 
those  advertising  for  places  or  to  your  own  advertisement, 
cull  them  over,  notice  how  much  intelligence  or  ignorance 
has  been  shown  in  answering  the  questions  and  let  it  bear 
much  influence  in  the  final  decision.  Next  observe  what 
reference  for  past  work  and  character  is  given  in  a  personal 
letter  from  the  last  employer  to  yourself,  not  in  the  thumbed 
note  carried  by  the  applicant. 

The  method  of  engaging  a  servant  from  industrial  bureaus, 
etc.,  is  by  personal  interview  when  the  arrangements  regarding 
wages  expected,  and  so  forth,  may  be  made.  A  personal 
recommendation  from  the  last  employer  should  be  obtained. 
The  borrowing  or  exchange  of  references  is  not  uncommon. 

The  objection  to  engaging  a  man  through  a  harness 
dealer  or  carriage  manufacturer  is  that  a  certain  amount  of 
indebtedness  is  thereby  established  which  the  servant  endeav- 
ors to  pay  off  by  directing  your  ''business  "  into  the  hands 
of  the  dealer. 

If  an  advertisement  is  inserted  in  a  paper  for  a  coach- 
man or  groom,  it  should  be  worded  as  follows,  so  that  worth- 
less servants  will  not  apply  for  the  position. 


330  REFERENCES. 

Coachman  (or  groom)  Wanted — Place  can  only  be  held 
by  a  thoroughly  trained,  reliable,  willing  and  sober  man.  No 
commissions.  Work  begins  at  6  A.  M.  sharp.  One  night  off 
every  week,  or  an  afternoon  and  evening  every  other  week. 
Reply  to  the  following  questions  in  a  sealed  envelope,  ad- 
dressed to  *  *  *  (a  personal  application  will  receive 
no  attention). 

1.  Name. 

2.  Address. 
3-  Age. 

4.  Nationality. 

5.  Married  or  single. 

6.  Amount  of  wages  expected. 

7.  Name  and  address  of  last  employer. 

REFERENCES. 

The  written  recommendations  presented  by  many  men 
are  of  but  little  value,  and  implicit  confidence  should  not  be 
placed  in  the  contents  for  the  following  reasons. 

An  employer  often,  to  avoid  trouble,  gives  a  man  a  few 
lines  in  which  no  mention  is  made  of  the  cause  of  his  dis- 
missal, as  for  instance : 

New  York  City, 

January    *     18   * 

This  is  to  certify  that  J  *  *  Smith  has  been  in  my 
employ  for  two  years.  He  is  a  hard  worker  and  quick. 

J  *   *  JONES. 

It  might  have  been  added,  had  J  *  *  Jones  been  quite 
frank  and  fair  to  his  brother  employers,  that  J  *  *  Smith  was 
an  inveterate  drunkard,  and  was  summarily  dismissed  for  up- 
setting, while  in  a  state  of  intoxication,  a  carriage. 


REFERENCES.  331 

Another   form    of   recommendation  which,  at  first  sight, 
appears  to  be  the  certificate  of  a  saint,  reads  as  follows : 

Newport,  R.  I., 

*     *     Villa. 

R  *  *  Harcourt  has  been  in  my  service  for  three 
months  as  head  coachman.  He  is  sober,  respectful,  an  ex- 
cellent driver,  and  kind  to  his  horses.  He  is  leaving  to 
return  and  care  for  an  invalid  mother  in  England. 

MRS.  M  *  *   SMITH. 
30th  August,  1.8    * 

These  words  of  undeserved  praise  were  written  by  a  lady, 
who,  shortly  after  the  departure  of  the  worthy  R  *  *  Har- 
court, discovered  that  the  poor  invalid  mother  was  likely  to 
acquire  some  silverware  and  a  few  knickknacks  belonging  to 
the  villa.  It  will,  therefore,  be  seen  that  little  confidence 
can  be  placed  in  written  testimonials  unless  they  are  trans- 
mitted direct  from  employer  to  employer.  Then,  again,  much 
depends  upon  your  and  the  last  employer's  standard  of  ex- 
cellence. Mr.  Brown  may  be  satisfied  with  very  inferior 
work ;  on  the  other  hand  he  may  be  over-fastidious,  or,  as  is 
more  likely  the  case,  incapable  of  passing  a  fair  criticism. 

The  usual  form  of  reference  for  a  good  servant,  if  one  is 

given  in  writing,  is  as  follows : 

New  York  City, 

February  3,  1899. 

John  *  *  *  has  been  in  my  service  for  three  years.  He 
is  a  competent  groom  (or  coachman),  honest,  sober  and 
obliging.  He  is  a  careful  driver  (or  understands  the  duties 
of  a  second  man  on  the  box  and  in  the  stable). 

He  leaves  for  no  fault,  and  I  heartily  recommend  him  to 
any  one  desiring  the  services  of  a  well  trained  servant. 


332  ALLOWANCE  FOR  BOARD,  LAUNDRY,  ETC. 

If  a  servant  has  any  fault  it  should  be  distinctly  men- 
tioned, no  matter  how  much  your  man  protests. 

ALLOWANCE    FOR    BOARD. 

The  actual  cost  of  good  board  is  from  fifteen  to  eighteen 
dollars  per  month  ;  in  large  cities  and  in  fashionable  summer 
resorts  the  charge  varies  between  that  sum  and  twenty  dol- 
lars. The  advisability,  from  an  economical  standpoint,  of 
boarding  servants  in  the  house  depends  largely  upon  what 
scale  the  culinary  department  is  conducted.  If  the  affairs 
below  stairs  are  managed  frugally  it  costs  a  little  less  than 
fifteen  dollars  to  board  each  man,  but  on  the  other  hand, 
when  such  matters  are  not  determined  daily  by  the  house- 
wife, the  cost  of  boarding  each  man  will  be  rather  over  than 
under  twenty  dollars  per  month ;  and  when  such  is  the  case, 
it  is  obviously  to  the  advantage  of  the  master  to  allow  each 
servant  from  fifteen  to  twenty  dollars  extra  and  have  them 
board  themselves. 

ALLOWANCE    FOR    LAUNDRY. 

The  expense  of  the  weekly  washing  of  livery  collars, 
cravats,  towels,  and  bed  linen  should  be  defrayed  by  the  em- 
ployer. Four  collars,  three  cravats,  three  towels  and  one  set 
of  bed  linen  is  a  fair  average. 

BOARD    WAGES. 

An  owner  when  going  away  from  home  for  three  months 
or  more  frequently  keeps  his  stable  servants  on  board  wages 
instead  of  discharging  them.  Under  such  circumstances  it 
is  customary  to  allow  each  man  from  fifteen  to  twenty  dollars 
per  month,  according  to  what  he  has  been  receiving  for  his 
board,  and  the  privilege  of  lodging  in  the  stable.  The  ser- 


ENGAGING.  333 

vant  is  not  expected  to  do  any  regular  work  and  is  given 
permission  to  take  a  temporary  place.  To  insure  the  ser- 
vant's return  these  wages  should  not  be  paid  in  advance  or  at 
the  end  of  each  month,  but  when  the  servant  is  taken  into 
active  service  again.  Thrifty  men  always  have  enough  laid 
by  to  provide  for  themselves  when  on  board  wages. 

ENGAGING. 

If  an  applicant  presents  himself  to  you  in  the  city  and  is 
thoroughly  familiar  with  the  different  districts  but  has  been 
rusticating,  or  is  "just  over  from  the  other  side,"  there  is  a 
possibility  that  through  some  fault  he  has  gravitated  to  the 
bottom  of  the  ranks  and  has  been  driven  to  the  country  or 
to  misrepresentation  through  unsuccessful  competition  with 
more  desirable  members  of  the  fraternity,  or  it  may  be  he  has 
taken  a  place  out  of  town  in  order  to  work  up  a  lost  character. 
There  can  be  no  hard  and  fast  rules  laid  down,  and  it  is  very 
likely  that  a  worthy  servant  can  be  recruited  from  the  sub- 
urbs or  country;  in  fact  such  servants,  if  recommended  by 
owners  whose  stables  are  well  conducted,  are  more  desirable 
than  city  men  of  equal  ability  but  of  greater  pretensions. 

If  a  man's  character  is  well  indorsed  by  his  former  em- 
ployer, and  he  appears  honest  in  face,  neat  in  his  dress, 
respectful  and  straightforward  in  his  address  and  looks  you 
straight  in  the  eye,  a  difficult  ordeal  for  a  scamp,  he  has 
much  to  recommend  him  to  your  consideration.  A  good 
man  should  touch  his  hat  when  coming  into  your  presence, 
stand  erect,  with  his  hands  loosely  hanging  at  his  sides, 
while  you  are  talking  to  him.  Some  men,  but  not  well 
trained  nor  respectful  ones,  will  poke  both  hands  down  into 
the  depths  of  their  trousers  pockets  or  seat  themselves  and 


334  ON  TRIAL. 

try  to  tell  you  the  story  of  their  lives.  Then  again  there  is 
the  haughty  specimen  who  would  not  think  of  doing  this  or 
that  in  the  stable.  Cut  these  men  off  by  saying  that  they 
have  not  the  qualifications  for  the  position. 

If  you  have  sent  for  a  man  to  come  to  you,  reimburse  him 
for  whatever  reasonable  expenses  he  has  incurred,  such  as 
car  fare,  railroad  fare,  etc.;  but  when  a  man  learns  that  you 
are  looking  for  a  coachman  and  comes  of  his  own  free  will 
and  accord  he  has  no  claim  on  you  whatsoever,  nor  is  it 
necessary  under  any  circumstances  to  pay  a  man  for  the 
time  he  has  consumed  in  applying  for  the  position. 

ON  TRIAL. 

A  servant,  having  passed  these  preliminary  tests  of  refer- 
ence and  examination,  is  chosen,  with  the  understanding  that 
he  comes  on  a  week's  trial.  Some  men  object  to  engaging 
for  so  short  a  period,  but  a  good  man  never  should.  The 
amount  of  wages  and  any  extras  ought  to  be  distinctly  agreed 
upon.  When  the  owner  is  to  provide  fuel  and  light,  the 
quantity  should  not  be  indefinite,  but  fixed,  as,  for  instance, 
seventy-five  dollars'  worth  of  fuel  during  one  year.  When  a 
servant  comes  from  a  distance  it  should  be  understood  that 
his  return  fare  will  not  be  paid  unless  his  services  are  dis- 
pensed with,  without  fault  on  his  part.  (See  Articles  of 
Agreement,  p.  336.)  There  are  certain  duties  that  master 
and  servant  owe  one  another.  In  the  first  place  go  with 
the  man  to  the  stable,  show  him  the  horses,  carriages  and 
harness.  If  a  horse  has  any  peculiarities  mention  them  and 
state  the  order  in  which  you  desire  the  work  to  be  done. 
Next,  see  that  the  servant  is  provided  with  blankets,  sheets, 
bureau,  washstand,  towels,  mirror,  etc.,  for  his  room. 


ON  TRIAL.  335 

In  order  that  your  servant  may  become  familiar  with  his 
surroundings  and  get  things  in  running  order,  allow  a  day 
or  so  to  elapse  before  calling  on  him  to  make  a  formal  show- 
ing of  what  he  is  worth.  The  manner  in  which  he  takes 
hold  of  his  work,  his  success  in  dealing  with  difficulties,  his 
treatment  of  the  horses  and  the  degree  of  neatness  he  exhib- 
its will  be  disclosed  immediately,  and  an  experienced  owner 
knows,  as  soon  as  a  man  begins  grooming,  the  extent  of  his 
ability.  Should  your  new  man  keep  his  coat  or  waistcoat  on 
when  trying  to  clean  your  horse,  the  writer  advises  the 
reader  to  quietly  look  for  a  coachman,  as  the  man  in  the 
stable  has  but  little  claim  to  that  title.  Grooming,  if  done 
properly,  is  hard  work,  and  a  man  who  understands  his  call- 
ing prepares  for  "  a  sweat  "  by  changing  his  ordinary  clothes 
for  a  pair  of  old  trousers  and  a  flannel  shirt. 

A  fair  test  of  a  coachman's  ability  should  be  made  before 
that  functionary  is  offered  an  opportunity  of  proving  the 
lack  of  it  by  breaking  his  employer's  neck  or  ruining  a  fine 
pair  of  horses  and  a  carriage.  Such  a  test  could  be  made  in 
this  manner.  Have  the  applicant  put  together  a  set  of  double 
harness  that  had  been  entirely  taken  apart  as  far  as  the 
buckles  will  admit,  harness  a  pair,  drive  to  the  owner's 
door  and,  accompanied  by  a  person  who  knows  how  to 
drive,  go  through  a  crowded  section  of  the  city,  making  three 
or  four  stops  and  turns.  On  returning  to  the  stable  let  him 
take  the  horses  out,  give  them  what  he  considers  the  neces- 
sary care  before  putting  them  back  in  their  stalls,  and  then 
attend  to  the  livery,  robes,  carnage  and  harness.  If  he  is 
unable  to  put  the  harness  together,  sufficient  proof  is  given 
of  his  inability,  notwithstanding  he  "  isn't  used  to  that  sort  of 
.  work,"  or  that  the  harness  is  not  the  same  as  that  to  which 


336  ARTICLES  OF  AGREEMENT. 

he  has  been  accustomed.  Should  the  owner  be  unable  to 
obtain  the  services  of  a  competent  judge,  the  servant's  pro- 
ficiency may  be  determined  by  comparing  his  work  with  the 
description  given  in  subsequent  chapters  of  the  proper  means 
of  performing  the  duties  of  a  coachman. 

The  writer  has  found  that  much  trouble  and  annoyance 
have  been  saved  by  the  use  of  duplicate  ARTICLES  OF  AGREE- 
MENT, one  part  of  which  is  here  shown  : 

ARTICLES    OF    AGREEMENT. 

"In  the  absence  cf  any  clear  written  provisions  on  the  sub- 
ject^ the  conditions  of  payment  and  dismissal  are  determined 
by  the  understanding  and  intent  of  the  parties"' 

I. ,  agree  to  faithfully  fulfil  to 

the  best  of  my  ability  and  to  the  interest  of  my  employer  the  duties  of 

under  the  following  conditions  :  To  be 

on  duty  at  all  times  except To  begin 

my  work  daily  at A.  M.  Such  work  to  end  under  ordinary 

circumstances  at p.  M.  To  cheerfully  carry  out  all  reasonable 

orders.  To  refrain  from  the  excessive  use  of  alcoholic  stimulants  and  all 
offensive  language.  To  take  no  commissions.  To  give  a  full  month's  notice 
of  intention  to  leave,  otherwise  to  forfeit  all  wages  due  from  last  preceding 
pay  day. 

To  receive  in  payment  for  such  service  $ per  month, 

together  with  good  board  and  lodging,  no  deductions  in  which  wages  are  to 
be  made  during  a  short  period  of  sickness,  in  the  event  of  which  I  am  to  be 
provided  with  medical  attendance  and  medicine  at  the  employer's  expense. 
To  receive  a  full  month's  notice  or  a  month's  wages,  without  board  or  lodg- 
ing, in  case  my  services  are  dispensed  with  through  no  fault  of  mine.  It  is 
understood  that  a  violation  of  any  one  of  the  terms  of  this  agreement  by  one 
of  the  parties  entitles  the  other  to  immediately  cancel  this  agreement  upon 
payment  of  all  pecuniary  indebtedness  up  to  and  including  the  day  contract 
is  broken. 


ARTICLES  OF  AGREEMENT.  337 


Date  of  commencement  of  service 


/  agree  to  such  conditions  as  I  agree    to   such   conditions   as 

the  above  provisions  call  upon  the         the   above  provisions   call  upon  the 
employer  to  fulfil.  employee  to  fulfil. 

Name  in  full Age 

Nationality Married  or  single 

Name  and  address  of  person  to  be  notified  in  case  of  accident  or  sickness. 

Name  and  address  of  last  employer 


CHAPTER  XIII. 
LIVERY. 

ITS    ORIGIN,    REGULATIONS    GOVERNING    THE    SHAPE    AND    MAKE, 
DETAILS    DEFINED,    AND    COST. 

THE  wearing  of  livery 
by  servants  has  its  origin 
in  the  ancient  custom,  in- 
stituted by  feudal  lords,  of 
distributing  to  the  under- 
chiefs  and  retainers  uni- 
forms bearing  some  royal 
cognizance  in  the  form  of 
a  combination  of  colors  or  a  badge.  From  the  old  French 
word  livre'e,  meaning  the  delivery,  the  term  "  livery "  has 
been  taken  to  signify  the  uniform  given  to  dependants.  The 
apparel  of  each  servant  was  distinctive  and  of  an  elaborate- 
ness which  is  handed  down  only  in  illustrations  and  theatrical 
representations  of  bygone  days.  The  form,  the  color  and 
the  buttons  of  liveries  intended  for  the  several  orders  of 
dependants  were  and  are  prescribed  and  cannot  be  arbi- 
trarily determined  by  the  master.  The  tendency  to  ignore 
such  long  observed  laws  is  happily  decreasing  in  this 
country,  as  the  struggle  for  the  almighty  dollar  gives  place 
to  a  desire  for  a  more  intelligent  understanding  of  the 
details  of  private  life.  In  costuming  servants  according 
to  the  ancient  and  modern  laws  governing  this  subject, 
much  latitude  is  given  for  the  display  of  individual  taste  and 


LIVER  Y  MAKERS.  339 

at  the  same  time  the  master  will  be  spared  the  humiliation 
of  having  his  ignorance  or  imposition  made  known  to  his 
friends  and  his  servants. 

A  careful  inspection  of  the  liveries  of  the  best  appointed 
turn-outs  will  reveal  to  the  observer  that  the  uniforms  are 
designed  after  a  model  chosen  by  those  who  have  been  ac- 
credited the  honor  of  being  critics,  and  accepted  by  owners 
who  conform  to  the  laws  governing  good  taste. 

The  reader  may  feel  assured  that  there  is  a  reason  for  the 
details  prescribed,  and  it  will  be  noticed  that  the  standard 
calls  for  nothing  unreasonably  conspicuous,  or  what  might 
be  termed  shoddy ;  instead  it  is  characterized  by  simplicity, 
neatness  and  the  exhibition  of  good  material  and  workman- 
ship. That  there  are  seen  liveries  of  every  cut  and  color 
bedizened  with  ridiculous  embellishments  is  not  due  to  any 
absence  of  a  desirable  rational  standard,  but  to  the  fact  that 
it  is  not  recognized  by  the  average  owner,  who  is  too  unobserv- 
ing,  indifferent,  or  is  carried  away  by  the  theatrical  effect  of 
a  court  functionary's  costume  enticingly  set  forth  in  some 
fashion  plate.  As  a  result,  many  of  the  private  equipages 
are  marked  by  the  gaudy  and  ill-fitting  liveries  of  the  ser- 
vants of  untutored  masters. 

LIVERY    MAKERS. 

The  foremost  livery  makers,  besides  having  made  a  study 
of  the  subject,  are  apprised  of  any  changes  or  passing  fads 
through  serving  those  who  judiciously  introduce  such  inno- 
vations. Inferior  tailors,  on  the  other  hand,  finding  that  a 
large  proportion  of  their  customers  gladly  allow  the  use  of 
braid,  fancy  buttons,  epaulets,  etc.,  to  compensate  for  faulty 
fabrication,  employ  cheaper  and  less  skilled  labor,  the  prod- 


340  MATERIAL  AND  COLOR. 

uct  of  whose  handicraft  is  of  constant  detriment  to  the  influ- 
ence of  the  underlying  principles  of  an  established  standard. 
For  these  reasons  it  is  clearly  to  the  advantage  of  any  owner 
who  wishes  to  have  what  is  right  to  patronize  a  tailor  who 
furnishes  the  livery  for  a  customer  who  costumes  his  servants 
correctly.  The  same  advice  applies  to  the  purchase  of  mack- 
intoshes, boots,  hats,  gloves,  furs,  etc.  A  good  coat  maker 
is  not  invariably  a  good  breeches  maker  and  vice  versa ;  and 
it  is  therefore  important  to  patronize  a  man  who  succeeds  in 
his  special  branch  of  livery  making. 

MATERIAL. 

All  material  should  be  chosen  from  good  stock,  not  only 
because  it  lends  itself  more  readily  to  the  hands  of  the  fitter, 
but  it  retains  longer  its  texture  and  given  shape.  Such 
qualities  make  the  purchase  of  well  woven  material  an  econ- 
omy, and  if  properly  fashioned,  the  livery  is  a  source  of  sat- 
isfaction to  the  eye.  Box-cloth  is  used  for  the  greatcoat 
(winter  coat)  and  broadcloth  for  the  body  coat  (light  frock 
coat).  Leather,  i.  e.,  buckskin,  is  the  material  that  should 
be  employed  in  breeches  making,  in  preference  to  stockinette, 
for  reasons  subsequently  given. 

COLOR. 

The  colors  of  the  coats  may  be  black,  maroon,  dark  green, 
dark  blue  or  drab  according  to  the  owner's  preference.  As 
the  color  of  the  livery  should  correspond  with  that  of  the  box 
seat  or  vice  versa,  drab  should  be  avoided.  Moreover  liver- 
ies made  of  this  shade  of  cloth  are  not  as  simple  or  neat  in 
appearance  and  become  easily  soiled.  When  trousers  are 
used  they  should  be  of  the  same  color  and  texture  as  the 
coat. 


BUTTONS  AND  THE  COACHMAN'S  GREATCOAT.     341 

BUTTONS. 

The  buttons  may  be  of  brass  or  silver,  but  should  match 
the  furniture  of  the  harness.  Cloth  covered  buttons  soon 
become  shabby.  The  buttons  may  be  either  flat  or  convex. 
The  size  of  the  buttons  for  the  different  parts  of  the  livery  is 
as  follows : 

For  the  front  of  the  greatcoat  i  inch  in  diameter,  or 
what  is  termed  a  forty  line  button. 

For  the  skirt  of  the  greatcoat,  i  inch  in  diameter. 

For  the  front  of  the  body  coat,  i  inch  in  diameter. 

For  the  skirt  of  the  body  coat,  i  inch  in  diameter. 

For  the  cuffs  of  the  body  coat,  5-8  inch  or  a  twenty- 
eight  line  button. 

The  surface  may  be  plain,  or  with  the  crest,  monogram 
or  badge  of  the  owner.  Regarding  the  use  of  crests,  see 
Chapter  II.  The  buttons  on  the  waistcoat  are  either  the 
same  as  those  used  on  the  sleeves  of  the  body  coat  or  cov- 
ered with  the  same  colored  cloth  as  that  of  which  the  waist- 
coat is  made.  The  buttons  of  the  leather  breeches  below 
the  knee  are  of  pearl.  The  edges  are  bevelled  off.  The  di- 
ameter is  scant  1-2  inch  or  what  is  termed  twenty-two  line; 
the  buttons  used  on  stockinette  should  be  of  pearl  but  of 
twenty  line.  The  number  and  location  of  the  various  but- 
tons on  the  coats  are  given  in  the  following  pages,  with  the 
description  of  the  different  parts  of  the  livery. 

THE  COACHMAN'S  GREATCOAT. 

Double  breasted,  buttoning  close  around  the  neck. 
Length,  bottom  of  skirt  i  inch  below  top  of  boot 
Width  of  collar,  about  2  inches  at  the  back. 
Double  row  of  buttons  in  front,  six  on  each  side,  begin- 


342  THE  COACHMAN'S  BODY  COAT. 

ning  just  below  collar  and  extending  to  waist  seam 
of  skirt.  Evenly  spaced.  The  distance  between 
buttons  across  the  chest  varies  according  to  the 
size  of  the  servant.  About  6  1-2  inches  is  the 
usual  distance.  The  diameter  of  button,  i  inch. 

At  top  of  skirt,  on  the  waist  seam  behind,  about  3   1-2 
inches  apart,  two  buttons  i  inch  in  diameter. 

At   the  bottom   of   skirts  4  inches  from   the   end   two 
buttons  i  inch  in  diameter. 

Pockets  with  flaps  at  each   side.     Top  of  flap  on   line 
with  waist  seam,  from  4  to  4  1-2  inches  deep. 

Skirt  lined  with  heavy  woollen  goods. 

(See  plate.) 

THE  COACHMAN'S  BODY  COAT. 

Single  breasted,  opening  about  2  1-2  inches  from  collar. 

Length,  bottom  of  skirt  falling  to  top  of  knee  cap. 

Width  of  collar,  i  3-4  inches  at  the  back. 

Upper  slit  in  sleeves  with  two  buttonholes,  not   imita- 
tion. 

Under  slit  in  sleeves  with  two  buttons,  5-8  inch  in  diame- 
ter. 

In  front,  beginning  at  the  V  and  extending  to  waist  seam, 
evenly  spaced,  six  buttons,  i  inch  in  diameter. 

At  the  top  of  the  skirt  on  the  waist  seam  behind  about 
3  1-2  inches  apart,  two  buttons  i  inch  in  diameter. 

At  the  bottom  of  the  skirt,  i  1-4  inches  from  the  end,  two 
buttons  i  inch  in  diameter. 

Pockets  with  flaps  31-2  inches  deep  at  each  side.     Top 
of  flap  on  line  with  waist  seam. 

Skirts  lined  with  white  farmer's  satin. 

(See  plate.) 


THE  GROOM'S  GREATCOAT,  BODY  COAT,  ETC.      343 
THE    GROOM'S    GREATCOAT. 

This  coat  is  made  the  same  as  the  coachman's  greatcoat, 
but  with  the  following  slight  exceptions : 
No  pockets  at  the  sides. 
Length,  skirt  should  extend  only  to  the  top  button  of 

breeches  leg. 
Buttons,  3  behind  on  each  skirt,  lowest  button  4  inches 

from  the  bottom. 
(See  plate.) 

THE    GROOM'S    BODY    COAT. 

This  coat  only  differs  from  the  coachman's  body  coat  in 
the  following  respects : 

No  pockets  at  the  sides. 

Length,  skirt  extends  only  to  within  about  6  inches 
of  the  top  button  of  the  breeches. 

Buttons,  3  behind  on  each  skirt,  lowest  button  4  inches 
from  the  bottom. 

(See  plate.) 

The  greatcoats  and  body  coats  of  servants  serving  in 
attendance  together,  but  neither  driving,  are  usually  cut  as 
grooms'  coats  and  are  the  exact  counterpart  of  each  other  in 
every  respect. 


THE    PAD    GROOM'S    COAT. 


The  coat  of  a  pad  groom,  i.  e.,  the  servant  who  accom- 
panies a  person  on  a  horse,  is  the  same  as  that  of  a  groom  in 
attendance  upon  a  carriage,  with  the  exception  that  the  body 
is  made  longer  and  the  skirt  only  falls  to  within  about  1 2 
inches  of  the  top  button  of  the  breeches.  A  brown  leather 
belt,  about  2  1-2  inches  wide  and  fastened  with  a  square  bar 
buckle  of  the  same  metal  as  the  livery  buttons,  is  worn  around 


344  VELVET  COLLARS,  SHAPE  OF  BODY  COATS. 

the  waist.     The  buckle  should  be  in  line  with  the  buttons  on 
the  front  of  the  coat. 

VELVET  COLLARS. 

Velvet  collars  may  be  worn  on  the  body  coats  in  place  of 
the  cloth  ones  and  are  usually  used  for  appointment  classes. 

SHAPE,    ETC.,    OF    BODY    COATS. 

The  collars  of  the  coats  are  so  cut  that  they  lie  almost 
flat  on  the  shoulders  and  fit  smoothly  against  the  edge  of  the 
waistcoat. 

The  cuffs,  which  are  merely  indicated  by  a  single  line  of 
stitching  about  three  inches  from  the  end  of  the  sleeve,  are 
for  the  body  coats  slit  up  to  that  point  from  the  bottom ;  and 
the  cloth  of  the  upper  part  of  the  slit  folded  over  the  under. 
There  is  no  slit  in  the  sleeves  of  the  coachman's  and  groom's 
greatcoat.  Velvet,  colored  cloth  or  braid  cuffs  should  not  be 
used. 

Shoulder  knots  or  other  forms  of  military  braid  (see  Fig. 
194)  should  not  be  used.  (See  Heraldry,  Chapter  III.) 

The  greatcoats  of  coachman  and  groom  should  be  made 
with  strap  seams. 

There  are  two  distinct  ways  of  cutting  the  skirts  of  the 
coats.  These  are  known  respectively  as  the  close  hanging 
and  the  bell ;  the  latter  is  more  appropriate  for  a  servant  in 
attendance  upon  a  lady's  carriage  than  on  any  other  occasion, 
though  they  are  frequently  seen  on  servants  accompanying  a 
brougham  or  similar  vehicle. 

There  should  be  placed  on  the  skirts  "  side  edges  "  which 
appear  under  each  button.  "  Side  edges  "  are  small  pieces 
of  triangular  cloth  the  base  of  which  is  parallel  with  and  fast- 
ened under  the  outside  slit  of  the  skirt. 


LINING  AND  LENGTH  OF  THE  COATS. 


345 


The  object  of  lining  the  skirts  of  the  body  coat  with  farm- 
er's satin  is  to  prevent  the  cloth  from  coming  in  contact 
with  the  paste  on  the  breeches  and  thus  getting  soiled. 

The  approximate  length  of  the  coachman's  and  groom's 
coats  has  not  been  arbitrarily  determined  by  any  one  individ- 
ual, but  by  the  common  sense  conclusion  of  those  who  have 
given  the  subject  some  thought,  and  who  after  having  tried 


FIG.  194. 

longer  and  shorter  lengths  have  decided  that  coats  cut  as  de- 
scribed above  are  best  adapted  to  the  combined  requirements 
of  service  and  appearance.  That  the  coat  of  a  coachman 
when  driving  should  be  longer  than  that  of  the  groom  is 
based  on  the  argument  that  the  coachman  is  less  active  and 
ought  to  have  the  greater  protection  furnished  by  an  addi- 
tional length  of  skirt.  The  groom's  duties  demanding  greater 


346  LENGTH  OF  THE  COATS. 

activity,  it  is  evident  that  he  should  not  be  unnecessarily  en- 
cumbered. As  any  great  dissimilarity  between  the  length  of 
the  coachman's  and  groom's  coats  is  displeasing  to  the  eye, 
the  extremes  to  which  the  length  of  either  coat  should  be 
carried  is  limited. 

Although  the  measurements  for  the  livery  here  given  are 
in  accordance  with  the  recognized  standard,  the  reasons  ad- 
vanced for  the  exact  differences  in  the  length  of  the  coach- 
man's and  groom's  coats  are  not  sufficient  to  reconcile  the 
writer  to  an  unconditional  acceptance  of  them.  That  the 
groom's  coat  should  in  all  instances  be  short  enough  to  en- 
able him  to  perform  his  duties  without  being  encumbered, 
yet  long  enough  to  give  as  much  protection  as  is  compatible 
with  the  first  consideration,  is  rational  enough  ;  but  to  argue 
that  the  coachman  requires  more  protection  because  he  is 
less  active  is  fallacious,  as  he  is  protected  by  a  robe  and  is 
not  exposed  to  the  inclemency  of  the  weather  to  any  such 
degree  as  is  the  groom.  It  therefore  seems  reasonable  to 
suppose  that  all  the  practical  requirements  would  be  satisfied 
if  the  groom's  coat  was  made  to  meet  the  needs  of  his  posi- 
tion and  the  coachman's  coat  cut  to  correspond,  with  possibly 
the  exception  of  the  side  pockets  as  a  mark  of  distinction. 
Under  such  conditions  there  would  not  be  the  dissimilarity 
in  the  number  and  location  of  the  buttons,  nor  the  necessity 
of  another  coat  when  the  two  servants  were  in  attendance  as 
grooms  for  a  coach  or  mail  phaeton,  etc. 

Some  authorities  sanction  the  use  of  only  five  buttons  on 
the  front  of  the  groom's  coat  and  the  placing  of  the  lowest 
skirt  button  a  little  distance  above  the  bottom  of  the  coat 
and  the  middle  one  equidistant  between  the  other  two.  The 
argument  in  favor  of  this  difference  is  that  the  groom's  coat 


FOOTMAN'S  LIVERY  AND   WAISTCOATS.  347 

is  shorter,  and  for  the  sake  of  proportion  there  should  not  be 
as  many  buttons  in  front,  and  that  by  placing  the  lowest 
skirt  button  some  distance  from  the  bottom  an  appearance  of 
greater  length  is  produced.  The  writer  believes  that  the 
uneven  effect  resulting  when  both  men  are  seated  on  the  box 
more  than  offsets  the  claims  of  those  who  advocate  this  dif- 
ference. Moreover,  the  bodies  of  the  coats  are  proportion- 
ally the  same,  the  difference  is  in  the  skirt.  When  the 
groom  is  in  attendance  alone  there  is  no  reason  why  five 
buttons  should  not  be  sufficient  if  the  servant  is  small. 

FOOTMAN'S  LIVERY. 

When  the  house  servant,  or  footman,  accompanies  a  lady's 
carriage,  he  should  wear  his  regular  livery  (see  plate),  and 
his  hat  should  be  the  same  shape  as  that  worn  by  the  coach- 
man. In  winter  his  greatcoat  should  fall  within  about  four 
inches  of  the  ground,  and  his  gloves  should  be  the  same  as 
those  worn  by  the  coachman. 

COACHMAN'S  AND  GROOM'S  WAISTCOATS. 

The  canary  and-  black  striped  waistcoat  has  long  been 
associated  with  stable  servants,  and  is  the  one  generally  used. 
The  stripes  run  horizontally.  Other  colors  usually  denote 
household  servants,  but  lately  the  waistcoats  of  the  livery  of 
many  of  the  winning  entries  in  appointment  classes  have  been 
blue  and  yellow.  The  material  of  which  the  waistcoat  is 
made  is  called  Valencia.  The  collar  should  be  so  cut  that 
about  a  quarter  of  an  inch  of  the  waistcoat  shows  above  and 
all  around  the  collar  of  the  body  coat.  The  effect  of  the 
waistcoat  showing  is  however  more  satisfactorily  produced 
by  having  a  separate  strip  sewed  inside  the  collar  of  the  body 


348  BREECHES. 

coat,  as  when  thus  made  an  even  appearance  is  always  main- 
tained. 

A  heavy  cloth  waistcoat  with  farmer's  satin  sleeves,  lined 
throughout  with  flannel  and  without  any  collar  should  be 
worn  under  the  greatcoat  in  place  of  the  body  coat. 

BREECHES. 

Breeches-making,  owing  to  the  skill  required  and  the  gen- 
eral ignorance  of  the  art,  has  been  made  a  specialty  of  by  a 
few  tailors,  who  on  account  of  their  success  in  that  line  have 
found  it  more  profitable  than  a  general  trade.  Some  unprin- 
cipled or  over  self-confident  members  of  the  profession  fight 
for  a  share  of  the  liberal  rewards  paid  for  superior  workman- 
ship, but  the  neophyte,  unless  very  "green,"  will  avoid  this 
class  by  learning  from  a  friend  or  the  head  man  of  a  well 
appointed  stable  the  address  of  a  competent  breeches 
maker. 

Breeches  are  made  of  buckskin  or  of  stockinette  —  the 
latter  should  always  be  of  secondary  choice.  The  breeches 
should  fit  snugly  above  and  below  the  knee,  but  about  the 
joint  it  is  necessary  that  they  should  be  fuller  to  allow  of  free 
use  of  the  limbs.  From  just  below  the  knee  down  they 
should  be  buttoned.  This  slit  should  come  so  that  the  but- 
tons will  lie  in  the  hollow  on  the  outside  of  the  shin  bone. 
It  is  no  affectation  to  button  the  breeches  in  front  in  this 
manner,  but  a  matter  of  comfort,  as  any  one  knows  who  has 
ever  worn  badly  made  riding  breeches  which  brought  the 
buttons  on  the  side  of  the  leg  where  they  were  pressed  into 
the  flesh  by  the  top  of  the  boots.  This  hollow  just  below  the 
knee  cap  and  extending  along  the  outer  side  of  the  shin  is 
apparently  a  special  provision  of  nature  for  the  comfort  of 


COACHMAN   IN   STABLE  CLOTHES. 


BREECHES.  349 

those  who  are  destined  to  wear  boots  and  breeches.  The 
buttons  below  the  knee  should  be  made  of  pearl,  scant  half 
an  inch  in  diameter,  or  what  is  technically  called  twenty-two 
line  buttons.  The  edges  of  the  buttons  are  bevelled  off  and 
the  centre  is  concave  so  as  to  prevent  the  heavy  thread, 
with  which  they  are  sewed  on,  from  protruding  above  the 
top  surface  of  the  button. 

Leather  breeches,  or  "leathers"  as  they  are  commonly 
called,  should  be  worn  in  place  of  trousers  by  servants  except 
in  the  country  where  distinctly  country  carriages  are  em- 
ployed. Their  use  is  required  by  judges  of  the  National 
Horse  Show  Association  for  a  city  turn-out  entered  for  a  com- 
petition in  which  appointments  are  to  count.  That  they  are 
not  universally  recognized  as  essential  to  a  well  appointed 
trap  is  due  largely  to  two  causes:  first,  the  additional  ex- 
pense ;  second,  to  a  popular  impression  that  they  indicate  a 
desire  for  display.  The  former  consideration  often  proves 
prohibitory,  but  the  latter  objection  is  false  when  the  practi- 
cal advantages  are  realized.  Take,  for  example,  a  groom 
jumping  off  and  on  the  box,  and  frequently  compelled  to  get 
down  into  the  mud  or  dust  of  a  dirty  street  and  go  around 
the  carriage  in  the  performance  of  his  duties.  What  is  the 
result  if  he  is  uniformed  in  trousers  ?  They  soon  get  baggy 
and  dirty :  the  owner  expects  them  to  do  for  several  seasons 
and  cannot  understand  why  they  do  not  look  better.  "James 
must  be  careless,  and  there  is  no  use  attempting  to  keep 
things  up  to  the  mark.''  On  the  other  hand,  breeches  are 
easily  cleaned,  and  owing  to  their  peculiar  cut  do  not  bag. 
The  boots,  when  properly  polished,  present  as  good  an  ap- 
pearance the  hundredth  time  they  are  used  as  they  did  the 
first. 


350  TROUSERS  AND  TOP-BOOTS. 

TROUSERS. 

Trousers  may  be  worn  by  the  coachman  or  under-coach- 
man  in  the  city  at  night,  or  by  a  coachman  in  the  country, 
although  for  the  latter  whipcord  breeches  are  in  most  in- 
stances preferable.  For  reasons  given  in  a  preceding  para- 
graph, when  the  two  men  go  out  on  the  box  together  breeches 
instead  of  trousers  should  be  worn  by  coachman  and  groom. 
The  material  for  trousers  should  always  be  the  same  in  text- 
ure and  color  as  that  of  the  coat.  Piping,  either  plain  or 
colored,  on  the  outer  seams  of  the  trousers  legs  is  permissible, 
but  not  desirable.  When  trousers  are  worn  the  greatcoat  or 
body  coat  should  be  somewhat  longer  than  is  prescribed  for 
use  with  breeches.  None  but  livery  trousers  should  be 
worn.  Many  servants  wear  their  ordinary  trousers  when  a 
robe  offers  concealment  for  their  laziness. 

TOP-BOOTS. 

The  boots  should  be  made  of  good  stiff  calfskin  and  the 
same  material  used  throughout.  Enamel  or  patent  leather 
should  not  be  used,  as  either  of  these  kinds  of  leather  soon 
become  scarred  and  in  consequence  present  a  shabby  ap- 
pearance. The  soles  of  the  boots  should  be  heavy  and  broad, 
having  a  welt  of  about  a  quarter  of  an  inch.  The  sides 
should  be  stiff  enough  to  prevent  the  boots  from  falling  in 
folds,  and  long  enough  to  reach  midway  between  the  third 
and  fourth  buttons  from  the  knee  cap  of  the  breeches.  They 
are  here  held  in  place  by  gut  loops  that  are  passed  through 
rings,  sewed  to  the  inside  of  the  front  and  back  of  the  boot,  and 
then  caught  over  the  button  on  the  front  and  back  of  the 
breeches.  By  having  the  loops  thus  made  they  can  be  read- 
ily replaced  in  the  event  of  their  breaking. 


COACHMAN'S  AND  GROOM* S  STABLE  CLOTHES.     351 

The  boot  tops  should  be  of  a  fine  quality  leather  and 
about  4  3-4  inches  deep.  Celluloid  tops  should  never  be 
used.  The  tops  are  usually  colored  a  rich  tan,  called  ma- 
hogany, or  of  a  pink  shade ;  and  sometimes  of  white  ooze 
skin  when  used  on  the  boots  of  servants  in  attendance  upon 
ladies'  carriages.  This  distinction  is  not  necessary,  but  it 
evinces  a  discrimination  regarding  details.  Black  tops  of 
cloth  are  frequently  used  if  the  servants  are  in  mourning 
livery. 

COACHMAN'S  AND  GROOM'S  STABLE  CLOTHES. 

The  material  used  for  stable  clothes  or  so-called  undress 
livery  is  called  "  whipcord."  It  can  be  obtained  in  almost 
all  shades  of  brown  or  gray.  Whatever  color  the  owner 
chooses,  it  should  be  of  a  dark  shade,  and  the  strapping, 
when  used,  if  full  or  about  the  knee,  should  be  of  dark  buck- 
skin. The  coat  and  waistcoat  may  be  worn  with  either 
trousers  or  with  breeches  of  the  same  material.  Leggins  of 
box-cloth  or  pigskin  are  also  used  with  the  breeches.  Top- 
boots  should  never  be  worn.  The  use  of  breeches  is  preferred 
as  being  more  suitable  for  all  kinds  of  work,  such  as  exercis- 
ing horses,  etc.  The  coat  for  the  coachman  should  be  a  cut- 
away and  that  for  the  groom  a  sack  coat.  A  black,  not 
brown,  hat  should  be  worn  with  undress  livery.  A  derby 
with  rather  straight  sides  and  slightly  rounded  crown  should 
be  worn  with  the  sack  coat,  and  a  felt  hat  with  a  flat  crown 
is  considered  the  proper  shape  when  the  tail-coat  is  used. 
Black  boots,  laced  or  buttoned,  are  the  only  kind  that  should 

be  worn. 

i 

The  short,  double  breasted  covert  coat,  with  strap  seams, 
is  the  proper  topcoat  to  use  with  this  form  of  livery.  For 


352  BOX  COATS,  LINEN  COLLARS  AND  SCARFS. 

winter  use  it  should  be  lined  with  flannel.  (See  plate.) 
Stable  clothes  are  appropriate  in  connection  with  all  types  of 
distinctly  country  vehicles,  but  should  not  be  worn  when  a 
servant  accompanies  a  city  type  of  carriage  in  the  country. 

DUMMY    OR    BOX    COATS. 

The  senseless  and  costly  custom  of  displaying  greatcoats 
at  the  back  of  the  box  seat  has  happily  gone  by.  At  first 
the  greatcoat  was  used,  but  the  exposure  was  found  to  be  so 
ruinous  to  the  material,  and  the  bulkiness  of  the  skirts  inter- 
fered so  much  with  the  movements  of  the  servants  that 
dummy  coats  were  introduced.  The  very  word  "  dummy  " 
should  have  been  sufficient  to  stamp  the  character  of  the 
display. 

LINEN    COLLARS. 

The  regular  shaped  coachman's  linen  collar  should  be 
worn.  Those  with  rounded  corners,  the  ends  of  which  meet 
when  buttoned,  present  the  neatest  appearance. 

The  collar  should  extend  about  an  inch  and  a  quarter 
above  the  collar  of  the  livery  coat,  and  should  be  the 
same  for  both  coachman  and  groom.  Extremes  are  to  be 
avoided,  as  an  absurdly  high  collar  is  as  objectionable  as  one 
entirely  lost  to  view.  It  will  be  found  necessary  for  the  ser- 
vants to  wear  a  slightly  higher  collar  with  the  greatcoats. 
The  collars  if  they  are  done  up  with  a  glazed  finish  do  not 
become  so  quickly  soiled,  but  those  with  a  dull  surface  pre- 
sent a  better  appearance.  Each  servant  should  be  provided 
with  a  dozen  collars  and  always  discard  one  as  soon  as  soiled. 
Cuffs  should  not  be  worn. 

SCARFS. 
The  correct  style    of    scarfs  for  coachman  or  groom  is 


SERVANT  IN   STORM   CLOTHES. 


HATS,   COCKADES  AND  EPAULETS.  353 

shown  in  the  plates  of  livery.  The  material  of  which  they 
are  made  should  be  unfigured.  Each  servant  should  be 
provided  with  one  dozen  scarfs.  They  should  be  worn  with- 
out a  scarf  pin,  as  otherwise  the  coachman  is  likely  to  use 
one  kind  of  pin,  the  groom  another,  and  the  scarf  to  appear 
punctured  with  holes. 

HATS. 

Three  livery  hats  should  be  provided ;  the  silk  hat.  for 
full  dress  in  fair  weather,  the  cassimere  one  to  take  its  place 
in  threatening  weather,  and  a  derby  for  the  undress  livery  or 
for  street  wear  when  doing  errands,  etc.  For  description  of 
the  shapes  of  the  latter  hat  see  under  Undress  Livery.  The 
silk  hats  shown  in  the  half-tone  plates  in  this  chapter  are 
more  "belled  "  than  the  writer  advocates. 

COCKADES    AND    EPAULETS. 

Servants  of  military  and  naval  officers  and  of  foreign  am- 
bassadors and  ministers  are  alone  allowed  to  wear  epaulets, 
cockades  and  aiguillettes.  The  different  forms  of  epaulets 
are  shown  on  p.  345.  Cockades  are  made  of  leather,  and 
the  loops  may  be  either  plain  or  of  the  official  colors. 
Cockades  for  mourning  purposes  should  always  be  of  crepe. 
Cockades  and  aiguillettes  when  used  should  be  worn  on  the 
left-hand  side  of  the  hat.  The  military  cockade  is  shown  in 
Fig.  195  and  the  naval  cockade  in  Fig.  196. 

"  Cockade- wearing  servants  whose  masters  do  not  hold  offices  which 
represent  the  crown  have  my  authority  to  think  their  masters  impostors." — 
Coussans,  "  Heraldry"  p.  Jj6,  4th  edition. 

Only  those  servants  entitled  to  wear  cockades  can  use  the 
black  crepe  band  on  the  upper  part  of  the  left  sleeve  as  a 
form  of  mourning  for  a  member  of  their  master's  family. 


354 


GLOVES,  MACKINTOSHES,  ETC 


FIG.    195 


FIG.    196. 


GLOVES. 

Each  servant  should  be  provided  with  a  pair  of  heavy 
dogskin  gloves,  a  pair  of  dark  worsted  ones,  and  a  pair  of 
wool-lined  ones  for  winter  weather. 

MACKINTOSHES,    ETC. 

The  material  of  these  storm  coverings  should  be  of  a 
cloth  texture  in  preference  to  those  with  a  shiny  surface. 
The  coat  should  be  single  breasted  and  with  pockets  at  the 
sides  with  flaps.  The  coat  is  usually  made  so  as  to  fall  within 
about  ten  inches  of  the  ground.  The  hat  cover  should 
be  of  the  same  material  as  that  of  which  the  coat  is  made. 

Upper  Benjamins,  i.  e.,  coats  with  a  series  of  capes  of 
waterproof  box-cloth,  are  frequently  used  in  place  of  the 
simpler  forms  of  waterproof  coverings. 


FURS. 


355 


FURS. 


The  furs  used  for  livery  are  usually  of  dog,  coon  or  bear 
skin.  The  last,  although  more  expensive,  wears  better  and 
is  handsomer  in  appearance  than  any  of  the  others  used.  A 
set  of  furs  consists  of  a  cap,  cape,  gloves  and  robe.  The 
shape  of  the  cap  should  be  round,  the  cape  should  fall  to  the 
elbow,  and  the  gloves  be  of  the  gauntlet  pattern.  The 
writer's  preference  is  that  the  cap,  cape  and  robe  should 
always  be  worn  together,  never  separately.  The  fur  gloves 
should  never  be  worn  separately,  but  dogskin  ones  may  be 
substituted. 


FIG.  197. 

POUCH  USED  BY  THE  GUARD  OF 
A  PUBLIC  COACH. 


356  COST  OF  LIVERY. 

COST   OF    LIVERY. 

MADE  TO   ORDER.  READY   MADE. 

Greatcoat $65.00       .     .     .  $35.00-^55.00 

Cloth  waistcoat  with  sleeves      .     .     .         15.00       .     .     .  8.00 

Heavy  cloth  trousers 16.00       .     .     .  12.00 

Body  coat 45.00       .     .     .  22.00-25.00 

Valencia  waistcoat      . 7.50       ...  5.00 

Waistcoat  collar  for  body  coat  .     .     .           2.50       .     .     .  1.50 

Thin  cloth  trousers 14.00       .     .     .  9.00 

Leather  breeches 35-oo 

Stockinette  breeches 18.00       ...  17.00 

Top-boots 18.00       .     .     .  9.00 

/  tan 3.00       .     .     .  3.00 

Boot  tops -5  ooze  skin 6.00       .     .     .-  6.00 

(black  cloth 5.50       .     .     .  5.50 

Boottrees 10.00 

Breeches  trees 18.00       .     .     .  15.00 

Whipcord  coat 23.00       .     .     .  13-50 

Whipcord  waistcoat 7.00       .     .     .  4.00 

Whipcord  trousers 10.00       ...  7.50 

Whipcord  breeches 15.00       ...  n.oo 

Whipcord  leggins 7.50       ...  4.00 

Leather  or  box-cloth  leggins     .     .     .         10.00       ...  6.00 

Covert  coat,  double  breasted    .     .     .         40.00       .     .     .  22.00 

One  dozen  collars 2.75 

Half  a  dozen  scarfs 3.00 

Silk  hat 5.00 

Cassimere  hat 5.00 

Coaching  hat 5.00 

Derby  hat 3.00 

Whipcord  or  plaid  cap 1.50 

{dogskin 1.50 

woollen 50 

woollen  lined 2.00 

white  buckskin       1.75 

Mackintosh  coat 15.00 


BUTTONS  AND  BUTTON  DIE. 


357 


Mackintosh  hat  cover 
Rubber  hat  cover  .     . 
Fur  cap,  bearskin  .     , 
Fur  cape       . 
Fur  gloves     . 
Fur  robe  . 


BUTTONS    AND    BUTTON    DIE. 

Moulding  of  large  monograms,  etc.,  for  buttons  .     .     . 
"        "    small  "  "  "      .     .     . 

Die  for  monogram  or  crest  of  large  buttons     .     .     . 

"     "         "             "     "      "  small       "...., 
Stamping  of  large  buttons  from  die 


small 


READY  MADE. 
$2.00 
1.25 
12.00 

36, 50  and  76 
12. oo 

IOO.OO 


per  doz.  $10.00 
"  "  10.00 
"  "  25.00 
"  «  23.00 
"  "  2.00 

"   "      1. 00 


CHAPTER   XIV. 
STABLE  MANAGEMENT. 

RECOGNITION     OF     AUTHORITY,     SYSTEM,      ORDER,      CLEANLINESS, 

ECONOMY,    REGULATION    OF   TIME    OFF,    MEAL    HOURS, 

CARE    OF    STABLE    REQUISITES. 


. 


THE  very  simplicity  of  stable  manage- 
ment is  rendered  so  confusing  by  the  mis- 
statements  of  ignorant  or  wilful  servants 
that  the  care  of  a  stable  is  enshrouded  in 
mystery  to  many  persons  who  are  led  to 
believe  that  for  some  occult  reason  the 
laws  of  common  sense  can  be  violated 
with  impunity  and  only  the  initiated  are 
justified  in  questioning  the  opinions  and 
actions  of  even  the  most  ignorant  stable  hand ;  whereas  a 
person  of  average  intelligence  can  in  a  very  short  time  acquire 
the  necessary  knowledge  for  properly  conducting  a  stable. 
The  dominant  factors  in  good  stable  management,  so  far  as 
it  relates  to  the  horse,  are  system,  cleanliness,  the  giving  of 
a  judicious  quantity  of  good  fodder,  thorough  grooming,  a 
uniform  amount  of  exercise  and  care  on  the  part  of  the 
attendant. 

THE    CHARACTER    OF    STABLE    SERVANTS. 

In  order  to  carry  these  principles  into  effect  it  is  abso- 
lutely necessary  that  the  servant  in  charge  should  be  of  good 
character  and  enforce  the  strictest  compliance  with  all  orders. 
Whoever  is  in  charge  of  the  stable,  a  stud  groom,  coach- 

358 


THE  CHARACTER  OF  STABLE  SERVANTS.  '          359 

man  or  head  lad,  should  not  indulge  in  more  luxurious  hours 
than  he  expects  any  of  his  subordinates  to  enjoy.  He  should 
be  up  and  about  at  six  and  have  the  day's  work  started 
at  that  time.  The  doors  should  be  opened  in  fair  weather, 
the  horses  watered  and  given  a  feed  of  hay.  The  stalls 
should  be  cleaned  out  and  newly  bedded  down ;  the  horses 
given  their  grain  before  the  men  go  to  their  breakfast  at 
seven  o'clock.  At  half  past  seven  the  grooming  should 
be  begun  and  half  an  hour  devoted  to  each  horse;  the  head 
collars  and  day  clothing  put  on.  When  the  grooming  is  com- 
pleted the  brushes,  etc.,  should  be  cleaned  and  put  away  ;  the 
various  parts  of  the  stable  dusted  and  the  bedding  and  mats 
set  fair.  When  there  are  no  early  morning  orders  this  time 
should  be  taken  to  wash  out  the  rubbing  cloths  and  band- 
ages and  to  exercise  such  horses  as  are  not  going  to  be  used. 
In  the  evening  the  person  in  charge  should  remain  on  duty 
until  all  the  work  is  completed  and  the  horses  have  been  fed 
and  "  fixed  "  for  the  night.  A  man  in  care  of  a  stable  must 
realize  the  responsibility  of  his  position  and  understand  that 
he  cannot  intrust  to  others  the  details  which  he  is  employed 
to  superintend.  He  should  be  held  accountable  for  any 
accidents  or  mistakes  occurring,  except  during  his  enforced 
absence,  when  driving,  etc. 

Inferior  men  often  believe  or  endeavor  to  convince  an  em- 
ployer that  they  are  thoroughly  capable  and  demand  the  same 
consideration  as  that  to  which  superior  servants  are  entitled; 
this  claim  when  unjustified  should  be  given  the  check  it 
deserves.  A  man  who  is  stupid,  clumsy  or  slow  will  con- 
sume more  time  in  performing  his  work  than  one  who  is 
quick  and  bright,  hence  he  cannot  have  so  much  "  time  off." 
If  indifferent  grooms  would  only  realize  the  additional  value 


360  THE  CHARACTER  OF  STABLE  SERVANTS. 

their  services  would  command  were  they  absolutely  reliable, 
the  condition  of  those  who  have  it  in  their  power  to  offer 
this  attraction  would  be  greatly  improved  in  every  way, 
especially  in  the  amount  of  their  wages.  If  a  man  is  only 
willing  to  do  his  work  under  compulsion  or  the  constant  fear 
of  dismissal,  an  employer  who  is  about  to  be  absent  from 
home  for  some  time  discharges  his  man,  sells  or  turns  his 
horses  out  rather  than  leave  his  stable  in  the  hands  of  a  ser- 
vant who  would  take  advantage  of  his  absence.  Reliable 
men  are  retained  under  similar  circumstances  and  are  given 
an  opportunity  to  enjoy  a  partial  vacation.  Special  stress 
has  been  laid  upon  the  virtue  of  reliableness,  as  it  sometimes 
happens  that  when  the  value  is  pointed  out  a  servant  has  the 
good  sense  to  profit  by  it. 

Servants  who  creditably  represent  their  vocation  will  be 
respected  by  all  sensible  men,  but  those  who  assume  positions 
for  which  they  are  unqualified  must  be  considered  as  would 
be  any  other  impostors. 

Good  servants  should  realize  that  their  knowledge  and 
habits  determine  the  extent  of  their  breadwinning  powers ; 
and  that  a  few  years  under  a  master  who  does  not  afford 
them  the  opportunities  of  thoroughly  doing  their  work  or 
who  allows  them  to  fall  into  bad  ways,  reduce  their  earning 
capacity  and  in  many  instances  absolutely  ruin  them.  The 
temptations  are  great  for  the  servant  of  a  rich  master  to 
accept  the  bribes  that  are  constantly  offered  to  him,  to  neg- 
lect the  work  and  be  away  from  the  stable  the  greater  part 
of  the  day  or  night  when  he  knows  that  his  absence  will  not 
be  noticed.  In  the  long  run,  a  servant  who  is  self-respecting 
and  has  sufficient  good  sense  to  withstand  such  temptations, 
and  refrains  from  the  assumptions  and  manners  that  make 


THE  CHARACTER  OF  STABLE  SERVANTS.  361 

an  indulgent  or  indifferent  master  the  laughing  stock  of  the 
community,  will  be  acting  for  his  own  best  interests.  It  is  to 
a  servant's  credit  if  he  is  respectful  in  his  manner  and  does 
his  work  well  for  a  master  who  is  ignorant  regarding  stable 
matters,  though  it  is  to  the  coachman's  or  groom's  advan- 
tage to  seek  another  position  where  his  services  will  be  ap- 
preciated and  his  master  be  a  person  whom  he  can  respect 
A  good  servant  can  always  secure  a  place,  while  inferior 
ones  are  compelled  to  accept  half  wages  in  order  to  keep 
body  and  soul  together. 

If  an  owner  wishes  to  know  what  his  servant's  character 
is,  let  him  judge  it  when  least  expected,  and  it  is  better  to 
make  the  opportunity  at  once  than  to  wait  for  a  chance 
one  to  indicate  the  character  of  the  servant.  The  possessions 
intrusted  to  a  servant's  care  are  of  such  a  perishable  and 
costly  nature  that  it  is  folly  for  the  owner  to  be  in  doubt.  A 
rascal  in  livery  is  neither  different  nor  less  objectionable  than 
in  any  other  walk  in  life.  One  may  test  the  character  of  a 
new  servant  by  directing  the  latter  to  drive  him  to  the  office 
or  the  railway  station,  here  dismissing  his  own  carriage  and 
calling  a  public  one.  The  reader  may,  if  he  has  been  unfor- 
tunate in  his  selection,  witness,  at  various  points  between  the 
office  or  the  station  and  his  residence,  some  very  painful 
revelations.  If  more  masters  made  it  a  matter  of  interest  to 
know  how  their  servants  acted  at  all  times,  their  neighbors 
and  friends  would  be  spared  much  of  the  annoyance  caused 
by  the  servant's  misconduct.  How  often  one  sees  a  carriage 
load  of  rollicking  servants,  who  have  been  sent  to  church  by 
a  considerate  master,  disgracing  the  Sabbath,  their  master 
and  themselves  ;  or  the  pitiful  sight  presented  by  a  pair  of 
well  bred  horses,  covered  with  lather,  standing  in  front  of  a 


362  THE  CHARACTER  OF  STABLE  SERVANTS. 

saloon  or  the  shop  of  an  alcoholic  dispensing  druggist. 
People  are  justly  incensed  at  any  one  who  brings  rowdiness 
or  debauchery,  in  the  disguise  of  a  servant,  into  the  commu- 
nity, and  a  disregard  of  this  matter  will  often  affect  the  social 
relations  of  an  owner  and  his  neighbors. 

If  horses  that  have  been  quiet  are  noticed  to  draw  back, 
kick  or  bite  when  approached,  it  may  be  very  reasonably  con- 
cluded that  the  animals  are  being  in  some  or  many  ways 
maltreated.  When  an  owner  is  confident  that  his  suspicions 
are  well  founded,  he  is  advised  to  give  the  men  warning  that 
the  continuance  of  such  indications  will  result  in  their  dis- 
charge. If  it  is  known  that  any  one  man  has  been  guilty  of 
brutality  he  should  be  replaced  by  another  servant.  A  man 
who  is  brutal  by  nature  can  never  be  trusted  with  animals. 
Horses  which  have  been  maltreated  lose  their  confidence  in 
man  and  are  very  apt  to  become  treacherous  and  dangerous 
to  ride  or  drive.  A  single  case  of  abuse  is  often  sufficient 
to  absolutely  ruin  a  good  horse.  Instances  are  not  wanting 
of  horses  that  have,  after  years  of  separation,  attacked  and 
killed  servants  who  at  one  time  brutalized  them.  On  the 
other  hand,  a  kind  servant  may  regain  the  confidence  of,  and 
handle  with  safety,  a  horse  that  is  apparently  vicious. 

The  writer  has  had,  for  a  very  brief  period,  men  who,  by 
injudicious  and  rough  usage,  have  converted  a  stable  full  of 
horses  into  a  den  of  wild  animals  ;  legs  must  be  strapped 
up  or  twitches  put  on  in  order  to  groom  the  "vicious  brutes" ; 
kicking-straps  and  severe  bits  used  to  drive  them  in  safety, 
and  the  majority  pronounced  to  be  worthless.  These  same 
horses  in  the  hands  of  other  men  would  follow  them  about 
like  the  nursery  lamb  and  could  be  handled  or  driven  with- 
out any  straitjacket  appliances.  There  are  some  horses  that 


RECOGNITION  OF  AUTHORITY.  363 

are  naturally  vicious,  but  they  are  in  the  minority ;  the 
chances  are  nine  to  ten  that  when  your  man  tells  you  you 
have  a  brute  in  your  stable,  the  creature  indicated  is  the  one 
speaking  to  you. 

RECOGNITION    OF    AUTHORITY. 

The  positions  of  master  and  servant  are  ones  that  are 
often  abused  by  both  persons  ;  by  the  former  through  becom- 
ing too  lax  in  demanding  the  proper  observance  of  the  for- 
malities in  speech  and  manners,  thoroughness  in  the  execution 
of  the  work,  and  in  the  attention  that  the  owner  should  give 
to  the<  comfort  and  welfare  of  the  servant.  On  the  other 
hand,  the  coachman  or  groom  too  frequently  becomes  uncivil, 
slights  or  neglects  his  work  and  pillages  by  taking  commis- 
sions. When  such  conditions  exist  the  master  and  servant 
may  be  separately  or  jointly  at  fault.  The  master  must  qual- 
ify himself  to  command,  the  servant  to  obey. 

The  position  of  owner  or  head  man  to  those  under  him 
should  be  distinctly  recognized  and  maintained.  In  many 
instances  grooms  of  inferior  ability,  but  endowed  with  a  lib- 
eral allowance  of  self-assurance,  are  virtual  masters  of  the 
stable  and  cost  the  owner  no  small  sum  by  their  mismanage- 
ment. Therefore  if  an  owner  assumes  control  of  his  stable, 
let  him,  at  the  outset,  have  it  understood  that  his  orders  are 
final  and  are  to  be  obeyed  to  the  letter.  Stable  men  will 
sometimes  endeavor  to  thwart  a  master  by  violating  his 
orders  and  then  citing  the  consequences  as  being  the  result 
of  the  owner's  bad  judgment ;  this  may  be  prevented  by  per- 
sonally supervising,  for  a  few  times,  such  orders  as  are  likely 
to  be  wilfully  misconstrued.  To  command  respect  and  obedi- 
ence it  is  necessary  that  the  owner  should  know  whereof 


364  RECOGNITION  OF  AUTHORITY. 

he  speaks,  and  his  orders  should  receive  some  forethought 
and  not  be  given  hastily,  without  consideration.  Otherwise 
the  servant,  after  slow  cogitation,  arrives  at  the  conclusion 
that  his  master  knows  neither  what  he  wants  nor  how  the 
work  should  be  done,  and  executes  the  order  according  to 
his  own  interpretation  of  the  requirements. 

"  So  in  any  commands  we  give,  or  in  any  reprimands  we  may  use  towards 
any  person,  justice,  good  feeling,  and,  indeed,  common  sense,  demand  that 
we  are  quite  sure  the  command  is  proper,  and  the  neglecting  or  disobeying 
it  does  not  proceed  from  its  impropriety,  or  the  impossibility  of  its  being 
carried  into  effect." —  Charles  Brindley,  "  Pocket  and  the  Stud,"  p.  148. 

On  the  other  hand,  it  is  more  advisable  to  have  whatever 
directions  are  given  strictly  obeyed  than  it  is  for  the  owner 
to  vacillate  between  his  and  the  servant's  opinion.  Coach- 
men who  take  their  orders  sulkily,  or  shirk  them  because 
they  are  not  allowed  to  have  their  own  way,  should  not  be 
retained.  When  a  master  gives  an  order,  the  coachman  or 
groom  should  touch  his  cap,  reply,  "  Yes,  sir,"  or, "  Very  good, 
sir,"  and  obey  without  further  comment,  unless  there  is  some 
very  good  reason  for  him  to  speak.  In  conclusion  of  this 
subject  of  obedience  to  orders  allow  the  writer  to  say  that  all 
orders  should  be  strictly  enforced,  whether  in  regard  to  such 
a  trivial  matter  as  the  fastening  of  a  buckle  or  the  more  im- 
portant consideration  of  the  care  of  a  horse.  If  your  loqua- 
cious servant  attempts  to  argue  with  you  or  tell  you  how  he 
did  such  and  such  a  thing  when  living  with  so  and  so,  hear 
him  out  in  the  first  instance  and  then  say,  "  Now  do  as  I  told 
you,  and  in  the  future  when  I  give  you  an  order  reply,  '  Yes, 
sir,'  and  execute  it  without  any  comments  or  hesitancy."  It 
is  advisable  in  trivial  matters  to  insist  on  your  servant  do- 
ing what  you  may  see  the  mistake  of  on  second  thought. 


MANNERS,  ETC.  365 

Obedience  and  discipline  are  necessary  and  your  man,  or 
men,  should,  if  ordered,  put  a  horse  in  backward  without  any 
question. 

When  a  servant  is  sent  on  an  errand  or  with  a  note,  he 
should  take  the  precaution  to  inquire  if  there  is  an  answer. 
Upon  returning  the  man  should  report  immediately  stating 
what  the  answer  is,  or  giving  the  written  reply,  or  saying  that 
there  is  no  answer,  as  the  case  may  be.  If  the  servant  has 
been  sent  with  a  horse  he  should  report  to  one  of  the  house 
servants  or  fasten  his  horse  and  deliver  the  reply  himself. 
Very  often  servants  "  put  the  horse  up  "  before  reporting, 
which  causes  a  delay  in  rectifying  a  mistake,  in  case  one  has 
been  made  in  taking  the  message  or  receiving  the  reply. 

MANNERS,    ETC. 

Swearing  and  all  other  forms  of  offensive  language  are 
a  very  evident  indication  of  the  character  of  the  servant  and 
should  never  be  allowed.  Tippling,  even  though  not  carried 
to  excess,  must  be  considered  a  serious  detriment  even  in  the 
case  of  an  otherwise  excellent  servant,  as  it  prevents  implicit 
confidence  being  given.  Many  men  who  have  been  accus- 
tomed to  taking  "  a  drop  "  now  and  then  become  drunkards 
in  consequence  of  the  necessity  of  fortifying  themselves 
against  the  exposure  of  long  hours  on  the  box  during  inclem- 
ent weather  or  on  winter  nights.  There  are  many  hundreds 
of  thoughtless  and  heartless  owners  who  keep  their  men  and 
horses  waiting  out  in  bad  weather  for  several  hours,  when  a 
little  more  judgment  in  ordering  the  equipage  or  self-sacrifice 
in  departing  from  a  ball  or  dinner,  would  be  both  humane 
and  to  the  owner's  interest  from  an  economical  standpoint. 
Such  exposure  day  and  night  and  every  day  simply  drives 


366   PERSONAL  APPEARANCE,  SMOKING  AND  LIGHTS. 

men  to  drink,  and  when  they  have  become  drunkards  or  are 
found  drunk  on  one  or  two  occasions  they  are  dismissed  for 
a  fault  which,  in  many  instances,  is  due  to  the  owner. 

PERSONAL   APPEARANCE. 

Self-respecting  servants  will  keep  themselves  clean  shaven 
and  neat  in  appearance,  others  should  be  required  to  make 
themselves  similarly  presentable.  Whenever  a  servant  is 
called  upon  he  should  not  cause  any  delay  by  the  necessity 
of  making  an  extensive  toilet ;  there  are  times  when  the 
owner  does  not  require  his  services  in  which  such  matters 
may  be  attended  to.  After  the  grooming  is  finished  the  ser- 
vants should  put  on  their  stable  clothes  or  the  breeches 
and  leggins  and  have  a  coat,  collar  and  cravat  ready  to 
slip  on  when  the  owner  or  his  friends  visit  the  stable  or  he, 
the  servant,  is  sent  on  some  errand.  For  all  rough  work  an 
old  suit  of  clothes  should  be  worn,  and  all  livery  used  only 
when  on  duty. 

SMOKING. 

Smoking  should  not  be  allowed  in  the  stall  part  of  the 
stable  or  in  the  hayloft.  There  is  no  especial  objection  to  a 
man  having  his  pipe  when  working  on  the  wash-stand  or  in 
the  cleaning  or  harness  room,  but  he  should  understand  that 
this  privilege  is  granted  with  the  understanding  that  it  will 
not  be  carried  beyond  these  limits. 

LIGHTS. 

In  city  stables  where  gas  or  electricity  is  the  means  em- 
ployed for  artificial  illumination  there  is  but  little  need  of 
especial  caution  ;  in  country  stables  where  lamps  are  used, 
their  location  should  be  carefully  selected  and  such  precau- 


DISCHARGING.  367 

tion  as  strong  supports  and  ample  protection  given  to  every 
lamp.  The  hay-chutes  should  be  filled  by  daylight  so  that 
there  will  be  no  need  of  carrying  a  lamp  into  the  hayloft  or 
under  ordinary  circumstances  into  the  stalls  or  boxes.  Most 
men  are  criminally  negligent  regarding  the  use  of  lamps  and 
stoves,  and  require  all  the  caution  and  watching  that  can  be 
given  to  them. 

DISCHARGING. 

A  servant  should  be  discharged  immediately  if  found 
guilty  of  criminal  neglect,  drunkenness  or  theft.  A  man 
who  will  turn  his  horses,  hot  and  dirty,  into  their  stalls,  or 
hose  off  a  carriage  and  run  it  into  place  undried,  ought  not 
to  be  allowed  an  opportunity  of  repeating  such  acts  of  van- 
dalism ;  and  should  tippling,  serious  disobedience  to  orders,  or 
the  doctoring  of  horses  for  the  production  of  glossy  coats  be 
discovered  the  servant  should  be  "  sacked  "  at  once,  i.  e.,  turned 
out  of  the  stable  within  a  few  hours.  Under  such  circum- 
stances a  servant  often  enters  a  claim  for  a  month's  wages 
in  advance,  but  if  he  is  discharged  for  some  serious  misde- 
meanor, the  law,  unless  some  special  compact  has  been  made,* 
entitles  him  to  nothing  more  than  the  payment  in  full  of  all 
indebtedness  up  to,  and  including,  the  day  of  his  dismissal ; 
nor  is  it  necessary  to  pay  his  return  travelling  expenses  if 
engaged  in  a  city  and  he  is  out  of  town  at  the  time  of  his 
discharge.  When  an  owner  discharges  his  servant  for  lying, 
cheating  or  some  less  harmful  fault  than  those  mentioned 
above,  or  is  contemplating  breaking  up  his  stable,  a  month's 
pay  in  advance  should  be  given  and  the  man  turned  off  im- 
mediately in  the  first  instance,  and  in  the  second  the  servant 

*  The  law  governing  the  employment  of  servants  in  most  states  treats  the  matter  of 
dismissal  according  to  the  understanding  of  the  parties  at  the  time  of  engaging. 


368  REGULATION  OF  TIME  OFF. 

should  be  apprised  of  the  intention  of  the  owner  as  soon  as 
possible,  but  given  to  understand  that  his  services  will  be 
required  until  a  certain  date  and  that  no  reference  will  be 
given  should  he  leave  before  that  time. 

"  A  good  servant  is  very  apt  to  take  it  into  his  head  that  there  is  nobody 
like  him.  He  begins  to  give  himself  airs,  as  if  he  were  an  indispensable 
personage,  whose  loss  could  not  be  supplied.  He  will  sometimes  forget 
himself  so  far  as  to  do  things  which  he  knows  would  procure  the  discharge 
of  any  other  servant.  The  longer  a  man  of  this  kind  is  suffered  the  worse 
he  grows.  He  encroaches  here  and  there  till  he  has  privileges  sufficient  to 
incite  rebellion  in  all  the  rest  of  the  household.  At  last  he  becomes  quite  a 
fool,  and  there  is  no  longer  any  managing  of  him,  and  he  has  to  be  sent 
about  his  business.  A  man  who  ventures  to  do  wrong,  or  to  forget  his  duty, 
merely  because  he  knows  that  he  is  highly  esteemed,  must  have  very  little 
foresight.  It  is  the  very  way  to  forfeit  all  he  has  gained,  and  estimation  of 
this  kind  once  lost  is  always  lost.  It  is  a  greater  evil  to  lose  a  good  name 
than  never  to  obtain  it." — -John  Stewart,  "  Stable  Economy"  p.  70. 

It  is  economy  when  a  servant  is  to  be  discharged  for 
some  fault  to  have  as  little  time  as  possible  elapse  between 
his  getting  notice  and  his  actual  exit  from  your  service. 
A  malicious  servant  can  do  a  great  deal  of  harm  in  a  few 
hours. 

"  Personally,"  said  I,  "  I  always  make  short  work  of  it  both  with  horses 
or  servants,  when  I  find  either  absolutely  burdens.  My  advice  is,  send  for 
your  delectable  stud- groom,  give  him  a  month's  wages,  pay  his  way  back  to 
where  he  came  from,  give  him  a  couple  of  sovereigns  extra  to  soften  his 
prompt  dismissal,  and  start  him  by  the  first  conveyance  in  the  morning :  you 
can  give  as  a  reason  for  dismissing  him  that  you  intend  to  take  charge  of 
your  horses  yourself." —  Charles  Brindley,  "  The  Hunting  Field"  p.  88. 

REGULATION    OF    TIME    OFF. 

Too  many  owners  consider  a  request  for  a  uniform  amount 
of  time  off  a  piece  of  unreasonable  assumption.  Servants 
who  serve  their  employer  faithfully  should  be  considerately 


REGULATION  OF  TIME  OFF.  369 

treated.  "  An  evening  off "  once  each  week  on  a  stated 
night  should  be  allowed.  The  evening  may  be  a  certain  one 
of  each  week  or  one  set  from  time  to  time,  but  the  servant 
should  not  be  merely  told  that  he  can  have  "  a  night  off  " 
each  week,  resulting  in  every  night  being  the  one  on  which 
this  privilege  is  enjoyed.  When  convenient,  the  servant 
should  also  be  allowed  a  Sunday  morning,  afternoon  or  even- 
ing off.  If  only  one  man  be  employed,  he  should  leave  the 
key  of  the  stable  in  some  fixed  place  so  that  in  case  it  is  nec- 
essary to  enter  the  stable  it  will  not  be  found  impossible 
to  do  so.  The  owner  should  also  have  a  pass  key,  with 
which  he  can  gain  admittance  at  any  time  of  the  day  or  night. 
Unless  your  coachman  is  a  very  steady,  reliable  man  the 
chances  are  he  will  arrange  for  an  evening  out  whenever 
an  opportunity  occurs,  and  although  this  may  not  in  every 
instance  be  of  inconvenience  to  you,  yet  an  occasion  may 
arise  when  you  require  his  services  and  he  will  be  found 
wanting.  It  is  therefore  advisable  to  try  your  man  before 
sickness,  fire  or  accident  makes  it  imperative  for  him  to  be 
on  hand. 

Then  again,  a  man  who  debauches  cannot  be  trusted  ; 
he  will  get  up  late,  and  when  up  he  is  not  fit  to  perform  his 
work.  A  fault  that  is  common  to  many  grooms  is  to  assure 
their  employer  that  they  are  at  their  work  at  five  in  the 
morning,  whereas  the  work  in  reality  begins  at  seven  o'clock 
or  later.  If  the  servant  is  a  self-described  "  early  bird,"  tell 
the  man  that  five  is  too  soon  to  begin  work  and  that  six  is  a 
much  better  hour,  then  occasionally  make  sure  that  the  work 
begins  at  that  time.  It  is  surprising  to  discover  how  impos- 
sible it  is  for  these  early  risers  to  appear  regularly  at  six 
o'clock. 


370  REGULATION  OF  MEAL  HOURS,  SYSTEM. 

REGULATION   OF    MEAL    HOURS. 

In  giving  the  amount  of  wages  commanded  by  the  differ- 
ent classed  men,  the  servant  is  supposed  to  be  provided  with 
a  furnished  room  but  boards  himself  or  makes  an  allowance 
of  fifteen  dollars  if  his  meals  are  taken  in  the  house.  The 
master  will  be  spared  much  annoyance  if  he  pays  his  stable 
servant  a  fixed  amount  and  allows  him  to  find  "  table  board  " 
near  at  hand.  This  will  prevent  dissatisfaction  below  stairs 
arising  from  the  men  coming  in  at  all  hours,  and  there 
will  be  no  complaints  about  the  quality  or  quantity  of  food, 
nor  complications  over  board  bills  if  the  amount  of  the  wages 
paid  includes  a  certain  sum  for  board.  The  schedule  of  the 
regular  daily  work  should  be  so  arranged  that  half  an  hour  is 
given  respectively  for  breakfast,  dinner  and  supper.  Board- 
ing places  ought,  under  no  circumstances,. to  be  so  far  distant 
that  over  forty-five  minutes'  absence  from  the  stable  is  re- 
quired. If  more  than  one  man  is  employed  it  is  convenient, 
and  often  necessary,  for  one  man  to  remain  in  the  stable 
while  the  other  one  is  at  his  meals.  By  this  arrangement 
there  is  always  some  one  at  hand  to  execute  orders  or  to 
receive  a  returning  trap  or  the  horse  of  a  visitor.  Sleeping 
accommodations  should  be  provided  for  the  servants  in  the 
stable  and  near  the  stalls,  but  not  over  them.  In  the  event 
of  a  horse  becoming  "  cast,"  taken  sick  or  fire  breaking  out 
it  is  important  that  one  or  more  servants  should  be  near  at 
hand  in  order  to  render  assistance. 

SYSTEM. 

There  are  few  things  in  life  for  the  success  of  which 
system  is  not  essential.  Its  importance  in  stable  manage- 
ment is  undisputed  as  being  conducive  to  the  economy  of 


SYSTEM.  371 

labor,  time  and  money.  In  the  average  private  stable  the 
systematic  performance  of  the  early  morning  and  evening 
work  can  be  conducted  without  interruption;  i.  e.,  the  servants 
arise  at  a  certain  hour,  give  the  feed  of  hay  and  oats,  water, 
do  the  grooming,  set  fair  the  stalls  and  have  their  breakfast ; 
in  the  evening  the  horses  are  watered,  blanketed,  fed  and 
their  beds  made  at  regular  hours.  In  this  way  much  more 
work  can  be  accomplished.  Time  is  provided  for  all  the 
work  to  be  done,  and  there  is  consequently  no  excuse  when 
it  is  neglected.  If  there  be  any  negligence  or  tardiness  it  is 
made  evident  by  being  reflected  from  one  duty  to  another 
throughout  the  day.  The  author  has  endeavored,  in  dealing 
with  the  various  duties  of  a  servant,  to  specify  the  time  that 
he  may  reasonably  employ  in  doing  his  work.  Inferior 
coachmen  dislike  having  their  work  "  cut  and  dried,"  i.  e., 
systematized,  but  good  men  prefer  it  and  recognize  its  value. 
On  this  subject  Charles  Brindley,  in  the  u  Pocket  and  the 
Stud,"  says: 

"  One  of  the  first  things  desirable  in  stable  management  is  rule  ;  by  rule 
I  mean  a  regular  way  of  doing  things ;  and  this  is  a  matter  seldom  attended 
to  sufficiently,  unless  the  stable  is  under  the  superintendence  of  a  first-rate 
stud-groom.  I  do  not  merely  allude  to  the  important  matters  of  stable 
hours,  dressing,  feeding,  watering,  and  so  forth,  but  to  the  minor  details." — 

p.  90. 

*'  All  things  in  a  stable  should  be  done,  not  from  a  man  recollecting  that 

he  should  do  it,  but  from  habit,  as  naturally  as  he  brings  up  his  left  leg  to 
follow  his  right  or  vice  versa" — /.  92. 

As  stable  servants  are  not  naturally  systematic,  the  work 
which  occurs  at  odd  intervals,  but  is  practically  the  same 
day  after  day,  should  be  performed  in  such  a  systematic  way 
that  one  act  is  instinctively  followed  by  another.  The  per- 


372  SYSTEM. 

formance  of  the  regular  chores  of  the  day  should  be  formu- 
lated into  a  conveniently  arranged  routine  somewhat  as 
follows : 

SERVANT    NO.    I. 

6-7.  Set  fair  the  stalls. 

7-7.30.       Breakfast. 
8-8.30.       Dress  "  Rocket." 

r  Beat  and  put  away  night  clothing. 

{  Clean,  trim  and  fill  lamps. 
11.30-12.  Dinner. 
12-12.30.  Fill  hay  and  straw  chutes. 
5.30-6.       Supper. 
6.  Bed  down  and  clean  up.     Clean  head  collars. 

SERVANT    NO.    2. 

6—6.30.  Fill  water  buckets. 

6-30-7.  Set  fair  the  stalls. 

7-7.30.  Dress  "  Bluebell." 

7.30-8.  Breakfast. 

8-8.30.  Dress  "  Gamecock." 

8  lo-Q         j  ^et  *a*r  outer  Part  °*  stat>le. 

{  Dust  in  harness  and  cleaning  room. 
11—11.30.  Fill  water  buckets,  set  fair  the  stalls. 
12.  Dinner. 

5.30-6.       Fill  buckets  and  set  fair  the  stalls. 
6-6.30.       Supper. 

SERVANT  NO.    3. 

6-6.30.  Water,  hay,  take  off  bandages,  do  up  bedroom. 

6-30-7.  Clean  shoes,  boots,  feed  horses. 

7-7.30.  Breakfast,  bring  shoes  to  house. 

7.30-8.  Dress  "Scout." 

8-8.30.  Dress  "Spy." 

8.30-9.  Put  on  day  clothing  and  head  collars. 

n.  Water  horses. 

11.45.  Feed  horses. 

12-12.30.  Dinner. 


ORDER. 


373 


FIG.    198. 


374  ORDER. 

5.30—6.  Change  clothing,  take  off  head  collars,  hay  and  water. 

6-6.30.  Supper. 

6.30.  Feed  horses. 

9.  Water  horses  and  fill  buckets. 

ORDER. 
"A  place  for  everything,  everything  in  its  place." 

A  convenient  place  should  be  provided  for  everything, 
and  everything  kept  in  its  place  when  not  in  use.  Pitch- 
forks, brooms  and  shovels  should  have  a  space  large  enough 
to  accommodate  them  all  together  at  one  end  of  the  stable, 
and  at  the  cost  of  from  one  to  three  dollars  especially 
designed  hooks  and  brackets  may  be  had  for  their  support. 
The  pails  should  have  a  place  near  the  water  tap  and  be 
neatly  "  lined  up  "  when  not  in  use.  The  grooming  inple- 
ments  should  be  kept  in  a  cleaning  basket  or  on  open 
shelves,  deep  enough  to  hold  the  "  dandy  brush."  By  divid- 
ing the  shelves  with  strips  of  wood  for  the  brushes,  cloths, 
currycombs,  etc.,  it  will  be  seen  at  a  glance  what  article,  if 
any,  is  missing.  The  oat  measure,  sieve,  lamps,  cleaning 
bridle,  and  blankets  should  have  supports  provided  for  them, 
and  not  be  permitted  to  be  thrown  on  the  floor  or  poked 
away  in  a  dark  closet.  Places  should  be  so  arranged  for  all 
stable  requisites  that  an  owner  can  say,  "Where  is  the  bit 
that  belongs  there,  or  a  broom  here  ?  "  etc.  Have  no  closets 
with  doors.  Open  shelves  are  to  the  stable  what  open 
plumbing  is  to  the  house. 

"  If  we  should  see  that  which  in  a  badly  organized  stable  is  sure  to  be 
seen,  namely,  all  sorts  of  stable  utensils  and  requisites  in  holes  and  corners, 
on  the  window  ledges,  in  the  corn  bin  (if  one  be  in  the  stable),  the  steps 
of  the  loft  ladder,  and  various  other  improper  lodgments  for  them,  the  want 


CLEANLINESS.  375 

• 

which  will  suggest  itself  at  once  is  that  of  a  good  cupboard,  or  rather  press, 
at  each  end  of  the  building.  Nothing  looks  more  unstablemanlike  than 
forks,  brooms,  buckets,  etc.,  standing  about.  Should  it  be  at  all  dusk  or 
even  by  daylight  if  your  attention  is  occupied,  the  chance  is  you  break  your 
shin  over  a  pail,  and  while  dancing  with  agony  on  one  leg,  you  hop  into  the 
dropping-scuttle,  and  out  of  that  pop  into  the  cold  stopping-box. 

"  Numerous  accidents  happen  where  utensils  are  allowed  to  stand  in  the 
stable.  Horses  coming  in  and  out  are  almost  sure  to  strike  against  them. 
This  frightens  them ;  they  run  back,  hit  something  else,  or  run  against  other 
horses  and  get  kicked.  Should  such  a  thing  occur  as  a  horse  getting  loose 
in  the  night  (no  very .  improbable  circumstance,  by  the  by,  in  a  badly  con- 
ducted stable),  probably  if  he  walked  quietly  about,  or  even  into  another 
horse's  stall,  if  used  to  each  other,  no  harm  may  happen;  but  if  in  the  dark 
he  gets  kicking  the  buckets  about  the  stable,  as  Dr.  Pangloss,  did  the  phials 
about  his  shop,  he  (not  Dr.  Pangloss)  gets  frightened,  frightens  the  other 
horses,  and  they  all  get  kicking  and  snorting  together ;  and  then,  to  use  the 
doctor's  pet  numbers,  it  is  '  Two  thousand  five  hundred  and  thirty-eight '  to 
one  that  some  mischief  ensues." — Charles  Brindley,  "Pocket  and  the 
Stud, ' '  //.  90  a  nd  pj . 

CLEANLINESS. 

Cleanliness  and  neatness  are  as  possible  and  desirable  in 
the  stable  or  barn  as  in  any  of  the  large  mercantile  establish- 
ments of  the  cities.  All  parts  of  the  stable  should  be  swept 
out  each  morning  and  the  window  sills,  shelves  and  other 
projecting  furnishings  dusted.  All  dirt  should  be  swept  into 
the  pit  or  basket,  not  out  of  the  stable  door.  By  sprinkling 
the  floor  with  water  —  not  deluging  it  —  much  dust  is  pre- 
vented from  rising  and  then  settling  on  the  carriage,  harness 
or  horses.  Liquid  "  Sanitas  Disinfectant "  used  in  the  same 
way,  at  but  a  trifling  expense,  produces  a  similar  result,  be- 
sides giving  a  clean,  healthful  odor.  Once  a  week  there  should 
be  a  cleaning  day  when  the  stalls  should  be  thoroughly  washed 
out,  i.  e.,  flooded ;  the  mangers,  partitions,  walls  and  windows 


376  ECONOMY. 

9 

hosed  and  mopped  down.  Time  must  be  given  for  the  stalls 
to  thoroughly  dry  before  the  straw  is  replaced,  and  during 
this  interval  the  gutters  and  drains  should  be  carefully 
cleared  out.  If  the  slats  in  the  stalls  are  detachable,  they 
should,  when  the  weather  is  fair,  be  taken  out  and  dried  in 
the  sun.  A  man  will  be  kept  busy  from  the  time  he  has  had 
his  breakfast  until  midday,  if  he  cleans  a  small  stable 
thoroughly.  At  odd  hours  during  other  days  of  the  week 
the  pails,  rubbing  cloths,  brushes,  etc.,  should  be  cleaned, 
sweetened  with  a  weak  solution  of  baking  soda,  and  dried 
in  the  sun.  The  doors  and  windows  should  be  opened  when- 
ever the  weather  permits,  and  in  summer  the  stable  should 
be  opened  before  the  horses  are  groomed,  and  ought  to  re- 
main so  until  evening  unless  the  weather  is  bad  or  a  dusty 
road  is  in  close  proximity,  in  which  cases  the  airing  will 
have  to  be  regulated  according  to  local  circumstances  and 
conditions.  Truck  and  refuse  should  not  be  allowed  to  ac- 
cumulate. Tin  cans,  bottles,  boxes  and  paper  should  be 
thrown  in  a  waste  barrel  and  not  allowed  to  become  recep- 
tacles for  dirt  and  dust.  Shelves,  dark  closets,  back  stairs 
and  stall  drains  are  the  usual  places  neglected  in  the  cleaning, 
and  an  examination  of  such  places  will  reveal  the  degree  of 
thoroughness  with  which  the  work  has  been  done. 

ECONOMY. 

When  system  and  order  have  once  been  firmly  established, 
a  few  moments  each  day  or  even  at  irregular  intervals  during 
the  week  will  suffice  to  insure  the  continuance  of  regular  and 
satisfactory  work,  the  pecuniary  economy  of  which  will  be 
immediately  manifested  if  it  supersedes  a  state  of  bad  man- 
agement. 


ECONOMY.  377 

The  horses  will  be  freer  from  sickness  and  able  to  endure 
more  work  if  given  their  full  quota  of  grooming  and  regu- 
larly fed  and  watered  ;  the  carriages  will  last  longer  if,  after 
they  are  used,  they  are  well  washed  and  cleaned,  and  when 
standing  idle  they  are  frequently  dusted  and  aired  ;  the  har- 
ness will  last  longer  if  properly  cared  for  after  work  instead 
of  being  left  muddy  and  wet  until  the  following  morning  ; 
and  brushes,  sponges,  chamois,  etc.,  will  not  have  to  be  con- 
stantly bought  to  take  the  place  of  those  that  have  been 
poked  away  into  some  out  of  the  way  place  or  that  have 
been  rendered  useless  by  rot.  The  sobriety  and  good  will 
of  the  stable  servants  are  important  factors  in  controlling 
the  ravages  of  wear  and  tear.  Without  system  and  order, 
economy  is  impossible,  and  their  introduction  into  the  man- 
agement of  the  average  stable  would  permit  of  another  horse 
being  kept  without  increasing  the  expenses. 

A  competent  coachman  commands  high  wages  not  only 
because  he  is  of  good  appearance,  sits  well  on  the  box  and 
drives  his  horses  smartly,  but  because,  by  the  intelligent  and 
systematic  performance  of  his  work,  he  saves  his  employer 
many  dollars  each  month.  This  ability  is  acquired  only  by 
capable  men  who  have  been  taught  to  do  their  work  in- 
telligently and  systematically. 

The  average  coachman,  though  a  good  worker,  has  a 
dozen  or  more  irons  in  the  fire  at  once.  The  horses  are 
sometimes  watered  before  they  are  fed,  at  others  the  task  is 
reversed ;  then,  again,  the  man  begins  to  clean  a  set  of  har- 
ness ;  if  he  is  called  away  for  a  moment,  when  he  returns, 
instead  of  continuing  his  work  on  the  harness,  his  attention 
is  given  to  a  dirty  carriage,  and  so  on  until  he  has  all  his 
stable  work  begun  but  nothing  finished.  Brushes,  sponges, 


378  VENTILATION. 

harness,  blankets,  etc.,  are  strewn  helter-skelter  about  the 
stable  and  the  man,  if  he  stops  to  contemplate  the  situation, 
is  bewildered  by  the  amount  of  work  confronting  him.  Such 
is  the  all  too  common  proof  of  bad  management  and  absence 
of  system. 

A  tippling  or  drunken  servant  cannot  and  does  not  give 
his  share  of  the  work  a  proper  amount  of  attention,  and  the 
same  may  be  said  of  a  man  whose  main  interest  is  outside  of 
the  stable ;  he  will  slur  over  his  work  in  order  to  be  "  with 
the  boys,"  or  at  cards,  or  with  some  alluring  member  of  the 
fair  sex.  When  excuses  come  pouring  in  for  faulty  work, 
look  for  the  source  of  the  trouble  in  the  evening  and  early 
morning.  A  visit  to  the  stable  at  nine  or  ten  p.  M.  or 
between  six  and  seven  in  the  morning  is  worth  a  week's  in- 
spection at  more  "seemly"  hours. 

VENTILATION. 

The  majority  of  servants  who  have  charge  of  a  stable 
consider  the  matter  of  temperature  before  that  of  ventila- 
tion. Under  all  circumstances,  however,  the  latter  should 
be  of  primary  importance.  The  means  of  safely  providing 
for  a  free  circulation  of  air  are  described  in  Chapter  IV.  It 
is  impossible  to  have  too  much  fresh  air,  providing  the  horses 
are  gradually  accustomed  to  it,  and  the  vents  are  so  arranged 
that  no  drafts  will  be  produced.  Admiral  Rous,  a  famous 
handicapper  of  race  horses,  is  quoted  by  Captain  Hayes  in  his 
book  entitled  "  Training  and  Horse  Management  in  India," 
p.  8,  as  saying : 

"The  windows  of  a  stable  ought  never  to  be  shut  by  night  or  day;  in 
cold  weather  add  to  the  clothing,  but  never  deprive  them  of  the  great 
source  of  vitality,  fresh  air." 


TEMPERATURE.  379 

On  entering  the  stable  early  in  the  morning  before  the 
doors  have  been  opened  a  frequent  proof  of  the  neglect  or 
prejudice  against  this  wholesome  practice  is  given  by  the  con- 
densation on  the  windows  and  walls.  The  moisture  that  col- 
lects on  these  places  is  due  to  the  same  cause  which  pro- 
duces it  in  similar  places  in  a  greenhouse. 

TEMPERATURE. 

As  the  horse's  coat  is  rendered  fine  and  glossy  in  con- 
sequence of  the  animal  being  kept  in  a  warm  stable,  servants 
are  prone  to  make  this  agent  do  a  large  share  of  the  work 
which  should  be  done  by  the  application  of  the  body  brush 
and  whisp.  Ignorant  and  lazy  grooms,  from  time  to  time, 
advance  the  argument  that  "  has  the  osses  looks  so  fine  it 
can't  'urt  'em."  Experience  has  shown  that  horses  kept  in 
hot  stables  are  rendered  more  susceptible  to  colds,  coughs, 
and  other  more  serious  forms  of  sickness  in  consequence  of 
being  subjected  to  the  sudden  transitions  of  temperature  in 
going  from  the  warm  stable  into  the  cold  atmosphere.  As 
the  change  is  not  only  felt  externally,  but,  what  is  of  far  more 
serious  consequence,  internally  by  the  cold  air  being  inhaled 
into  the  lungs,  the  horse  cannot  be  entirely  protected  by  the 
use  of  dress  or  quarter  blankets.  Between  fifty  and  sixty 
degrees  Fahrenheit  is  the  temperature  which  it  is  advisable  to 
maintain  in  the  stall  part;  and  to  enforce  the  maintenance 
of  any  degree  the  owner  may  think  proper,  the  use  of  a  reg- 
istering thermometer  is  a  very  valuable  instrument  in  help- 
ing to  determine  to  what  extent  the  instructions  have  been 
carried  out.  In  the  coach  house,  wash-stand  and  harness 
and  cleaning  rooms  a  temperature  of  seventy  degree  should  be 
maintained  in  winter  and  damp  weather. 


380  TEMPERATURE. 

"  In  a  well  drained,  well  paved,  well  ventilated  and  cleanly  kept  stable 
the  temperature  may  generally  be  maintained  at  from  fifty  to  sixty  degrees. 
Ill  drained,  ill  paved,  badly  ventilated  or  dirty  stables  cannot  with  safety  be 
kept  as  warm  as  those  of  which  the  sanitary  condition  is  more  favorable. 

"  Many  varying  circumstances,  however,  of  situation,  whether  bleak  or 
sheltered,  of  thickness  of  walls,  of  ceiling  or  absence  of  ceiling,  of  rooms 
overhead,  of  adjacent  buildings  and  such-like  considerations,  must  modify 
any  general  rules  as  to  temperature.  Some  regard,  too,  should  be  paid  to 
the  state  of  the  external  atmosphere.  With  the  thermometer,  for  instance, 
at  zero  out  of  doors,  a  stable  would  be  injudiciously  warm  at  from  fifty  to 
sixty  degrees,  although  that  temperature  may  be  taken  as  a  fair  average  for 
most  seasons  of  the  year." — Sir  F.  Fitzwygram,  "Stable  Management" 
p.  89. 

"  So  much  depends  upon  the  kind  of  horse  and  the  work  he  has  to  do, 
that  is  to  say,  whether  he  is  much  exposed  to  the  cold  or  not,  that  no  rule 
can  be  laid  down  which  is  applicable  to  all  stables,  but  I  believe  it  may  be 
asserted  that  none  should  be  above  sixty  degrees,  or  below  fifty  degrees,  if  it 
can  be  avoided.  I  have  often  known  horses  stand  severe  rattling  for  months 
together,  while  standing  in  a  stable  which  was  so  cold  as  to  make  their  coats 
as  rough  as  badgers,  but  when  removed  to  warmer  quarters  they  have  at 
once  gone  '  all  to  pieces,'  their  legs  or  feet  becoming  inflamed  from  miss- 
ing the  refrigerating  effect  of  cool  air  after  their  daily  work.  On  the  whole, 
therefore,  for  the  private  gentleman's  stable,  including  those  for  hunters, 
hacks  and  carnage  horses,  I  should  advise  a  regular  temperature  to  be  pre- 
served as  near  fifty  degrees  Fahrenheit  as  possible."  — Stonehenge,  "Every 
Horse  Owner's  Cyclopedia"  p.  201. 

"  It  is  not  so  generally  known  as  it  should  be,  that  the  return  to  a  hot 
stable  is  quite  as  dangerous  as  the  change  from  a  heated  atmosphere  to  a 
cold  and  biting  air.  Many  a  horse  that  has  travelled  without  harm  over  a 
bleak  country  has  been  suddenly  seized  with  inflammation  and  fever  when 
he  has,  immediately  at  the  end  of  his  journey,  been  surrounded  with  heated 
and  foul  air.  It  is  the  sudden  change  of  temperature,  whether  from  heat 
to  cold  or  from  cold  to  heat,  that  does  the  mischief,  and  yearly  destroys 
thousands  of  horses."  —  William  Youatt,  "  The  Horse"  p.  124. 


PLAITS,  MATS  AND  P1LLIKINS.  381 

PLAITS. 

After  the  bedding  has  been  set  fair  a  plait  should  be  laid 
at  the  end  of  the  stalls,  in  front  of  the  box  stall  doors  and 
entrances.  The  method  of  making  a  plait  consists  of  damp- 
ening the  straw  and  placing  near  the  edge  a  fork  handle  or 
pole  which  is  held  in  place  by  the  feet  or  knees ;  the  pro- 
truding straw  ends  are  drawn  with  both  hands  toward  the 
right  and  twisted  under.  When  the  ends  are  firmly  wrapped 
the  edging  should  be  round  and  perfectly  even. 

MATS    AND    PILLIKINS. 

Any  servant  who  considers  himself  anything  of  a  stable- 
man should  know  how  to  make  any  of  the  various  designs 
of  mats.  Mats  may  be  bought  for  about  one  dollar  and 
twenty-five  cents  per  yard,  but  they  can  be  made  at  odd 
times  by  the  stable  servants,  and  under  such  conditions  they 
are  always  better  cared  for.  The  two  general  forms  are :  first, 
those  which  are  knotted  only  at  the  top;  second,  those  which 
are  knotted  in  two  places.  The  latter  requires  more  than  twice 
as  much  time  to  make  up,  but  are  more  durable.  The  vari- 
ous forms  of  knots  employed  are  shown  in  Fig.  199.  Selected 
straw  with  the  heads  intact  may  be  obtained  from  the  grain 
dealer.  The  heads  should  be  pulled  frofn  the  long  stalks 
and  thoroughly  dampened  before  being  used.  One  or  more 
pieces  of  cord  are  stretched  over  a  hook  and  the  ends  passed 
through  holes  made  about  two  and  a  half  inches  apart  in 
a  block  of  wood  and  then  fastened  the  same  distance  (two 
and  a  half  inches)  apart  to  a  point  opposite  the  hook.  A 
bunch  of  three  or  five  straws  is  then  taken  by  the  man  who 
faces  the  hook  end  of  the  string.  When  the  straw  is  knotted 
it  is  drawn  tight  and  pushed  firmly  against  the  hook  end  of 
the  string  and  each  succeeding  bunch  is  similarly  worked. 


MATS  AND  PILL1KINS. 


FIG.    199. 


MATS  AND  PILL1KINS. 


383 


FIG.     2OO. 


The  effect  of  the  finished  mat  will  be  determined  by  the 
evenness  of  the  heads  and  their  uniform  distance  from  the 
top  of  the  string.  After  the  bunches  of  straw  have  all 
been  knotted  the  heads  may  be  either  left  above  the  top  of 
the  string  or  bent  down.  The  former  position  is  the  one 
usually  adopted  in  making  pillikins  (i.  e.,  mats  that  are  fast- 
ened around  posts,  etc.).  Various  colored  braid  is  woven  in 
and  out  between  the  bunches,  and  the  bottom  ends  of  the 
straw  evenly  cut  off.  In  making  mats  with  the  double  knot 
the  distance  between  the  top  and  bottom  string  should  be 
exactly  the  same  as  the  widths  of  the  three  or  more  pieces 
of  braid  which  are  to  be  inserted.  Illustration  in  Fig.  200 


384 


MATS  AND  P1LLIKINS. 


FIG.   201. 


shows  a  method  of  knotting  the  straws  when  colored  string 
or    cord    is   employed. 

The  floor  under  the  carriages  may  be  sanded,  and  by  tack- 
ing a  small  strip  of  moulding  across  the  front  an  even  edging 
is  maintained.  Other  parts  of  the  stable  may  be  similarly 
treated,  according  to  the  owner's  desire.  Monograms  or 
other  devices  are  often  made  by  the  use  of  colored  sand  and 
a  cardboard  stencil. 


CARE  OF  STABLE  REQUISITES,  ETC. 


385 


FIG.    202. 
CARE    OF    STABLE    REQUISITES. 

As  straws  show  which  way  the  wind  blows,  so  the  condi- 
tion of  the  metal  work,  stable  requisites  and  the  presence  or 
absence  of  mats,  plaited  bedding  and  sanded  floors  indicate 
the  degree  of  thoroughness  and  neatness  which  is  maintained 
in  the  stable.  The  neglect  of  these  articles  means  a  like 
neglect  of  the  other  more  important  factors  of  the  establish- 
ment. 

BLANKETS     AND     SHEETS. 

The  blankets  should  be  shaken  each  morning  out  of 
doors,  and  when  the  weather  permits  they  should  be  left  turned 
inside  out  in  the  sun.  From  time  to  time  it  will  be  found 
necessary  to  brush  them.  They  should  be  cleaned  at  a  reg- 
ular cleansing  establishment  once  a  year  or  oftener.  The 
linen  or  serge  sheets  used  during  the  summer  months  re- 
quire the  same  attention,  but  the  washing  .can  be  done  in  the 
stable. 

HEAD    COLLARS    AND    HALTER    SHANKS. 

Head  collars  require  daily  care ;  the  leather  should  be 
sponged  over,  care  being  taken  to  remove  any  dirt  from  the 


386  BANDAGES,   WATER  PAILS,  ETC. 

inside,  and  then  gone  over  with  some  saddle  soap  on  a  sponge. 
The  metal  parts  should  be  polished :  a  common  fault  is  to 
neglect  the  short  corners  between  the  leather  parts.  If  buck- 
skin brow-bands  are  used  they  should  be  taken  off,  the  outer 
surface  moistened,  pipe  clay  rubbed  on  and  the  band  hung 
in  the  sun  or  near  the  stove  to  whiten.  Enamel  brow-bands 
should  be  taken  off,  sponged,  and,  from  time  to  time,  a  little 
olive  oil  rubbed  on.  The  halter  shanks  and  pillar  reins, 
which  should  be  of  leather,  are  cleaned  in  the  same  manner 
as  the  head  collar. 

BANDAGES. 

Flannel  bandages  that  are  merely  used  to  stimulate  the 
circulation  should  be  shaken  out  every  time  they  are  used, 
and  from  time  to  time  washed  with  warm  water  and  soap 
and  thoroughly  dried  before  being  rolled  up.  Linen  and 
flannel  bandages  that  are  used  in  the  application  of  lotions 
or  salves  should  be  thoroughly  washed  immediately  after  use 
with  warm  water  and  soap  and  similarly  dried. 

WATER    PAILS. 

Unless  the  drinking  pails  are  properly  cared  for,  fermen- 
tation is  likely  to  occur  and  causes  cases  of  colic.  After  use 
they  should  be  turned  upside  down  and  lined  up  in  a  con- 
venient place.  Occasionally  it  will  be  necessary  to  rinse 
them  out  with  a  little  washing  soda  and  place  in  the  sun  to 
dry.  The  outside  of  the  pails  should  be  painted  the  "  stable 
colors,"  with  the  initials  of  the  owner  in  the  middle  between 
the  top  and  bottom  hoops  and  the  ends  of  the  handle.  The 
inside  should  be  painted  with  white  enamel  paint,  which 
color  serves  to  show  any  uncleanliness  in  the  water. 


SPONGES,  BRUSHES,  RUBBING  CLOTHS,  ETC.         387 
BOTTLES    OF    POLISH    AND    PASTE,    ETC. 

Immediately  after  use  the  "  compo  "  and  saddle  soap  cans, 
the  bottles  of  polish,  etc.,  should  be  covered,  sponged  and  put 
in  the  place  assigned  them. 

SPONGES    AND    BRUSHES. 

Feather  dusters  should  be  protected  by  wrappers  of 
heavy  paper.  Each  morning,  after  the  regular  work  is  per- 
formed, the  sponges  should  be  rinsed  and  squeezed,  not 
wrung  out,  the  wet  chamois  put  through  the  wringer,  and 
they,  with  the  body  and  dandy  brushes,  placed  in  the  sun  or 
near  a  stove  to  dry.  Once  a  week  the  brushes  should  be 
thoroughly  washed  with  warm  water  softened  by  the  addition 
of  a  few  drops  of  ammonia.  As  much  of  the  water  as  is  pos- 
sible should  be  removed  by  tapping  the  brushes  on  the  floor, 
after  which  they  should  be  placed  in  the  sun  or  before  a  fire 
to  dry. 

RUBBING    CLOTHS. 

The  rubbing  cloths  of  white  crash  or  cotton  should  have 
their  color  maintained  by  constant  washing  in  hot  water 
and  soap  on  a  scrubbing  board,  in  addition  to  which  these 
cloths  should  be  boiled  with  a  little  washing  soda,  at  intervals 
of  a  fortnight  or  so,  and  placed  in  the  sun  to  bleach. 

METAL    WORK. 

Whether  brass  or  painted  fittings  are  used,  their  condi- 
tion should  always  be  bright  and  neat.  To  produce  such 
results  the  brass  work  should  be  daily  gone  over  with  a  piece 
of  flannel  or  "  waste  "  saturated  with  metal  polish,  and  then 
rubbed  with  some  dry  waste  and  afterward  polished  with  a 
chamois.  If  the  metal  used  is  painted,  it  should  be  dusted 


388 


SHOVELS,  BROOMS,  ETC. 


daily  and  frequently  sponged  over  and  retouched  and  never 
allowed  to  remain  scarred  or  marked. 

SHOVELS,    BROOMS,    ETC. 

The  shovels  and  forks  should  be  sponged  clean  after 
being  used  every  morning  and  hung  on  hooks  in  some 
handy  place  where  there  is  no  chance  of  a  horse  injuring  him- 
self by  coming  in  contact  with  them.  The  inexcusable  cus- 
tom some  men  have  of  poking  these  and  other  requisites 
away  in  dirty  damp  closets  or  recesses  should  not  be  tolerated. 


CHAPTER    XV. 
FODDER,  WATER  AND  BEDDING. 

THE    QUALITY,    QUANTITY    AND    COST    OF    HAY,    GRAIN, 
BEDDING,    ETC. 

THE  fodder  which  the  mature  horse 
receives  in  the  course  of  a  day  should  fulfil 
two  requirments:  first,  to  provide,  by  assimi- 
lation, such  materials  as  are  necessary  to 
replace  those  which  have  been  expended  in 
all  forms  of  muscular  and  nervous  exertion; 
second,  to  furnish,  by  combustion,  warmth  to 
the  body.  If  the  animal  is  young  and  not 
fully  developed  there  is  a  third  function, 
namely,  that  of  providing  nutriment  for  the 
creation  of  the  material  needed  in  forming 
new  structures. 

In  viewing  the  horse's  fodder  in  the  light  of  these  con- 
siderations it  will  be  readily  seen  that  the  food  should  not 
be  of  the  same  unvarying  character  to  which  it  is  usually 
confined.  Many  servants,  with  the  best  intentions  but  igno- 
rant of  the  results  of  their  acts,  feed  their  horses  a  uniform 
quantity  of  oats,  hay  and  water,  day  in  and  day  out,  with  a 
bran  mash  once  a  week,  irrespective  of  the  age  of  the  horse, 
the  amount  of  work  he  is  performing,  or  the  season  of  the 
year.  If  the  quantity  of  provender  used  is  small,  the  aver- 
age owner  concludes  his  servant  is  honest  and  economical, 
and  gives  the  matter  no  further  consideration.  However,  it 

389 


390  FODDER. 

may  be  that  though  his  servant  is  honest,  the  owner  is  al- 
most if  not  quite  as  much  a  loser  by  his  horses  being 
underfed  as  though  the  servant,  for  the  purpose  of  increas- 
ing the  size  of  his  commission,  allowed  the  horses  more  than 
is  required. 

In  order  to  feed  a  horse  economically  it  is  absolutely 
necessary  that  all  the  provender  should  be  of  the  best  qual- 
ity procurable  and  that  it  should  be  in  kind  and  quantity 
according  to  the  age  of  the  horse,  his  temperament,  the  sea- 
son of  the  year  and  amount  of  work  the  animal  is  daily  per- 
forming. This  of  course  does  not  apply  to  the  cheapest 
mode  of  merely  keeping  a  horse  alive,  but  to  maintaining 
him  in  such  condition  as  best  enables  him  to  perform  a  rea- 
sonable amount  of  work. 

Because  certain  foods  are  too  heating  to  give  during  the 
summer  season  is  no  reason  why  they  should  not  be  em- 
ployed, and  to  advantage,  at  a  period  of  the  year  when  the 
horse,  like  his  owner,  feels  the  need  of  a  more  stimulating 
diet.  Meal,  corn,  beans  and  similar  foods  are  very  valuable 
adjuncts  or  alternatives,  providing  they  are  given  under  the 
right  conditions  and  in  judicious  quantities.  In  summer  it 
is  of  even  more  importance  that  attention  should  be  given 
to  the  horse's  diet,  as  his  work  is  analogous  to  that  of  an 
athlete,  and  the  food  given  should  be  of  the  same  cooling 
nature  as  is  required  by  man. 

FODDER. 

In  considering  the  several  foods  that  form  a  small  pro- 
portion of  the  innumerable  kinds  on  which  a  horse  can  exist, 
but  does  not  invariably  thrive,  those  that  have  been  found 
to  contain  the  required  nourishment  and  offer  sufficient  va- 


THE  QUALITY  OF  HAY.  391 

riety  are  alone  advocated.  The  different  classes  of  meals, 
herbage,  and  vegetables  used  for  the  purpose  of  economy, 
by  companies  employing  fifty  or  more  horses,  are  not  suit- 
able for  fodder  in  a  private  stable,  as  these  inferior  foods 
require  more  labor  in  preparation  than  the  somewhat  higher 
priced  forage,  and  can  only  be  economically  introduced 
when  consumed  in  large  quantities,  where  a  penny  a  day 
saved  on  each  horse  aggregates  a  large  sum  at  the  expira- 
tion of  a  year.  Hay,  oats,  corn,  bran,  oatmeal,  carrots  and 
green  forage  compose  the  list  of  foods  needed  to  keep  the 
carriage  or  saddle  horse  in  a  good  state  of  health.  These 
articles  vary  greatly  in  quality,  and  each  supply  should  be 
carefully  inspected  and  all  that  is  of  inferior  quality  or  under 
weight  rejected. 

THE    QUALITY    OF    HAY. 

Hay  may  be  divided  into  three  varieties,  according  to  the 
elevation  and  fertility  of  the  land  upon  which  it  is  grown. 
The  first  is  marsh  hay,  and  is  practically  worthless;  the 
second  is  low  land  hay,  and  is  of  inferior  quality ;  the  third, 
upland  hay,  is  by  far  the  best  for  horses  employed  to  do  car- 
riage or  saddle  work. 

CHARACTERISTICS    OF    GOOD    HAY. 
PRESENCE    OF  VARIEITIES    OF    HERBAGE. 

Fine,  hard  stalk,  Meadow  fescue. 

Narrow  leaves,  Meadow  foxtail. 

Greenish  tint,  Timothy. 

Sweet  aroma,  Red  top. 

Delicate  flavor,  Crested  dog's  tail. 

Sap  in  joints,  Cock's  foot. 

Morever,  good  hay  must  be  clean,  crisp,  free  from  weeds 

and  seeds  ;  neither  "  mow-burnt "  (i.  e.,  fermented)  nor  the 


392  THE  AGE  OF  HAY. 

"aftermath"   (i.   e.,   second    crop),   and    the  flowers  of   the 
grasses  should  have  retained  their  color. 

CHARACTERISTICS    OF    INFERIOR    HAY. 


PRESENCE    OF 

VARIETIES 

OF    HERBAGE. 

Coarse  stalks, 

False  oat. 

Prolific  leafage, 

Field  broom, 

Sweet  meadow  grass. 

Very  dark  green, 

Tufted  hair  grass, 

Soft  meadow  grass. 

or  a  brown  tint, 

Squirrel  tail, 

Rough  stalked  meadow  grass. 

Strong  aroma, 

Rattle. 

Bitter  flavor, 

Black  sedge. 

Seeds, 

Wood  rush, 

Slender  foxtail. 

Weeds, 

Cat's  ear, 

Yorkshire  fog. 

Dust, 

Colt's  foot, 

Sweet-reed  grass. 

THE    AGE. 

New  hay  should  not  be  used,  as  a  horse  fed  upon  it 
"scours,"  loses  in  condition  and  consequently  cannot  stand 
hard  work.  Hay  cut  in  July  can  be  used  in  November,  but 
it  is  better  if  a  year  old.  Hay  that  has  been  cut  over  two 
years  should  not  be  used,  and  none  but  the  best  quality  can 
be  economically  employed  as  fodder  for  horses  required  to 
do  fast  work.  The  use  of  inferior,  mouldy,  mow-burnt  or 
dirty  hay  is  marked  by  a  loss  of  condition,  spirits  and  hack- 
ing coughs,  a  forerunner  of  broken  wind. 

"  Hay  is  most  in  perfection  when  it  is  about  a  twelvemonth  old.  The 
horse  perhaps  would  prefer  it  earlier,  but  it  is  neither  as  wholesome  nor 
so  nutritive,  and  often  has  a  purgative  quality.  When  it  is  about  a  year  old  it 
retains,  or  should  retain,  somewhat  of  its  green  color,  its  agreeable  smell  and 
its  pleasant  taste." — William  Youatt,  "  The  Horse"  p.  jjj. 

"  Some  will  fancy  hay  cannot  be  too  old ;  this  is  quite  erroneous,  for 
however  good  hay  may  be,  age  will  take  away  its  nutritious  qualities." — 
Charles  Brindley,  "  The  Pocket  and  the  Stud,"  p.  if  6. 

"  New  hay,  as  is  well  known,  has  a  tendency  to  cause  scouring ;  but  in 


THE  QUANTITY  OF  HAY.  393 

.November  well- saved  examples  are  sufficiently  dried  to  render  them  innocuous 
in  this  respect.  In  the  author's  opinion,  new  hay  may  be  given  safely  after 
that  date  to  hunters  which  are  not  limited  in  their  oats,  though  he  is  quite 
aware  that  popular  opinion  is  opposed  to  this  view.  Hay  of  one  year  is 
desirable,  though  not  essential,  to  hard  condition.  After  a  year  and  a  half, 
hay,  he  thinks,  loses  much  of  its  nutritious  qualities.  It  becomes  over-dry 
and,  if  the  expression  may  be  used,  stale." — Sir  F.  Fitzwygram,  "  Horses 
and  Stables"  p.  59. 

THE    QUANTITY. 

The  average  horse  in  ordinary  work  will  require  between 
ten  and  twelve  pounds  of  hay  per  day,  of  which  from  three 
to  five  pounds  should  be  given  early  in  the  morning,  and 
the  remainder  at  night. 

About  two  tons  per  year  will  be  required  for  each  horse 
having  ten  pounds  a  day,  and  not  more  than  three  tons  can 
be  consumed  by  a  horse  receiving  any  grain.  By  multiply- 
ing the  number  of  horses  in  the  stable  by  12  (the  number  of 
pounds  of  hay  per  day  for  each  horse),  and  the  product  by 
365  (the  number  of  days  in  the  year),  and  then  dividing  by 
2000  (the  number  of  pounds  to  the  ton),  a  very  fair  idea  of 
the  amount  of  hay  required  can  be  obtained. 

"  The  daily  quantity  of  hay  allowed  each  horse  must  vary  with  its  quality 
and  the  work.  If  the  corn  be  limited,  the  horse  will  eat  a  greater  weight  of 
poor  hay  than  of  that  which  is  more  nutritious.  When  the  work  is  fast,  the 
horse  must  not  have  so  much  as  to  give  him  a  large  belly.  Eight  pounds  of 
good  hay  is  about  the  usual  allowance  to  fast  working  horses,  who  may 
receive  from  twelve  to  fifteen  or  eighteen  pounds  of  corn." — -John  Stewart, 
"  Stable  Economy"  p.  188. 

"  Practically  it  will  be  found  that  horses  which  are  not  limited  in  regard 
to  oats  will  not  usually  consume  above  six  pounds  of  hay  per  diem.  If  no 
more  than  twelve  pounds  are  given  with  three  feeds  of  corn  or  half  that 
quantity  where  the  horses  have  an  unlimited  supply  of  corn,  they  will  not,  in 


394  CHAFF  AND  THE  PURCHASE  OF  HAY. 

general,  waste  or  reject  much  that  it  would  be  good  for  them  to  eat." — 
F.  Fitzwygram,  "  Horses  and  Stables"  p.  46. 

CHAFF. 

When  hay,  straw  or  grass  is  chopped  into  short  lengths 
it  is  termed  chaff.  In  this  country  straw  and  grass  are 
seldom  thus  treated  for  consumption  in  the  private  stable, 
and  hence  chaff  is  generally  understood  to  mean  cut  hay. 
By  some  owners  hay  in  this  form  is  greatly  favored,  as  there 
is  less  waste,  and  when  mixed  with  the  grain  prevents  the 
horse  from  bolting  his  food.  On  the  other  hand  there  is 
always  a  large  amount  of  dirt  and  inferior  grasses  which  the 
horse  cannot  reject  when  the  hay  is  given  in  the  form  of 
chaff,  and  the  labor  required  in  cutting  the  hay  more  than 
offsets  the  amount  wasted  by  the  horse  trampling  a  part  of 
it  under  foot.  If  the  chaff  is  bought  the  quality  of  the 
hay  is  invariably  inferior,  and  the  mixture  usually  comprises 
a  very  large  percentage  of  dust,  dirt  and  seeds. 

"Chopped  hay  has  been  highly  recommended,  but  except  a  little 
for  the  purpose  of  mixing  with  the  corn  of  greedy  feeders,  the  author  can- 
not see  any  advantage  in  its  use." — F.  Fitzwygram,  "Horses  and  Stables" 
p.  46. 

THE    PURCHASE    OF    HAY. 

Many  are  the  tricks  resorted  to  by  dishonest  dealers  and 
stable  servants,  the  former  endeavoring  to  make  the  disparity 
between  the  price  charged  and  the  actual  weight  and  quality 
as  great  as  opportunity  permits ;  the  latter,  the  servants,  by 
unfair  treatment  or  the  doctoring  of  certain  samples  of  hay, 
direct,  for  personal  reasons,  the  owner's  patronage  into  the 
hands  of  a  certain  dealer.  Therefore,  in  purchasing  hay,  it 
is  advisable  for  an  owner  to  determine  whether  the  quality  is 
up  to  the  standard  and  to  satisfy  himself  that  the  actual  and 


THE  COST  OF  HAY  AND  QUALITY  OF  OATS.         395 

stated  weight  correspond.  The  very  difficulty  of  determining 
this  balance  results  in  much  dishonesty.  In  all  places  there 
are  weighers  who  register  the  weight  on  a  slip  which  they 
indorse.  In  buying  hay  that  is  pressed  and  baled  no  deduc- 
tion is  allowed  for  the  sticks  and  wire  used.  All  hay  that  is 
mouldy  or  has  become  damp  in  transit  from  snow  or  rain 
should  be  rejected. 

THE   COST    OF    HAY. 

Hay  can  be  bought  cheaper  at  the  time  it  is  being  gath- 
ered than  at  any  other  period.  As  the  season  progresses, 
the  price  gradually  rises  until  an  advance  of  about  five  dollars 
per  ton  has  been  made  to  offset  the  cost  of  storage  and  the 
interest  on  the  money  invested.  The  time  when  hay  for 
immediate  use  may  be  purchased  at  the  lowest  price  is  in 
November.  The  hay  sold  at  this  season  is  either  that  which 
was  gathered  in  June  and  July  or  the  hay  cut  the  preceding 
year.  The  latter,  in  point  of  age,  is  preferable  for  horses  in 
hard  or  fast  work.  The  price  of  hay  varies  between  ten  and 
twenty  dollars  per  ton  and  is  determined  by  the  size  of  the 
crop,  the  quality  of  the  produce  and  the  extent  of  the  local 
demand.  At  the  present  time  the  price  is  very  low  as  the 
result  of  unusually  large  crops  and  the  decrease  in  the  de- 
mand due  to  the  substitution,  in  many  instances,  of  electric 
for  horse  power. 

THE    QUALITY    OF    OATS. 

In  testing  the  quality  of  oats  it  is  advisable  to  take  a 
handful  and  spread  them  out  on  a  flat  surface  so  that  each 
grain  can  be  seen  separately.  They  should  be  short,  plump, 
heavy,  hard  and  clean ;  the  husks  should  cling  firmly  to  the 
kernel  and  be  free  from  beards,  the  skins  thin  and  the  ker- 


396 


THE  AGE  OF  OATS. 


nels  full  of  flour.  In  smelling  and  tasting  oats  it  is  necessary 
to  use  a  fair  quantity.  The  grain  should  be  free  from  all 
odor  and  in  flavor  they  should  have  a  slightly  milky  and 
sweet  taste.  Poor  oats  vary  in  size  and  are  long,  flat  and 
light.  If  a  cane  is  poked  into  a  bin  of  inferior  grain,  a  steady, 
heavy  resistance  is  felt,  whereas  with  good  oats  the  cane  can 
be  thrust  in  with  little  difficulty.  The  noise  made  by  the 
rattling  of  good  oats  has  been  likened  to  that  produced  by 
barley  kernels  or  shot. 


GOOD   OATS. 

INFERIOR    OATS. 

Clean. 
Even  size. 

Dirty. 
Uneven  size. 

Short. 

Small. 

Plump. 
Heavy. 
Hard. 

Flat. 
Light. 
Soft. 

Thin  skinned. 

Coarse  skinned. 

Dry. 

Mouldy. 

NEW   OATS. 

Shiny  husks. 

Earthy  smell. 

Sweet  milky  taste. 

Soft. 

Bearded. 

Down  covered  kernel. 

Ends  of  grain  soft. 

Flour  juicy. 


THE    AGE    OF    OATS. 


OLD   OATS. 

No  lustre. 
Free  from  odor. 
Bitter  taste. 
Hard. 

Beards  rubbed  off. 
Husk  drawn  tight. 
Ends  of  grain  sharp. 
Flour  dry. 


New  oats  are  undesirable  as  they  are  of  uneven  quality 
and  have  a  tendency  to  "  scour  "  the  horse.  Grain  of  from 
one  to  three  years'  seasoning  is  therefore  preferred  and 
commands  a  high  price.  New  oats  have  a  clean  earthy 
smell,  its  absence  indicates  that  the  grain  is  old. 

"  In  point  of  age  I  should  say  that  for  horses  in  fast  work  oats  should 
not  be  less  than  two  years  old  ;  after  that  I  consider  their  farinaceous  part 
begins  to  shrink,  and  that,  consequently,  a  greater  proportion  of  husk  falls 
to  the  horse's  share.  The  objection  to  new  oats  is,  first,  that  they  are  flatu- 
lent ;  and,  secondly,  as  in  the  case  with  new  oatmeal  with  hounds,  they  do 
not,  as  we  say  in  kennel  language,  '  stay  by  them.'  " —  Charles  Brindley, 
"The  Pocket  and  the  Stud"  p.  124. 


THE  QUANTITY  OF  OATS.  397 

THE    QUANTITY    OF    OATS. 

The  average  horse  in  a  private  stable  performs  compara- 
tively a  limited  amount  of  work,  and  for  such  horses  an 
allowance  of  from  eight  to  ten  quarts  of  oats  per  day  is 
sufficient.  For  horses  in  regular  work,  covering  between 
eight  and  sixteen  miles,  a  quart  to  each  mile  would  be  a  fair 
average.  The  majority  of  horses  used  for  an  afternoon's 
drive  or  ride  or  for  shopping  are  overfed,  and  many  of  the 
accidents  which  occur  may  be  traced  to  the  grain  bin.  Al- 
though the  horse's  diet  cannot  be  abruptly  increased  or 
diminished,  the  daily  allowance  should  be  in  proportion  to 
the  amount  of  work  the  horse  performs,  but  not  to  the 
number  of  hours  he  is  in  harness.  Horses  should  always 
be  watered  about  half  an  hour  before  they  are  given  their 
grain. 

"  The  amount  of  grain  given  to  the  animal  should  be  proportionate  to 
the  amount  of  work  he  is  called  upon  to  perform,  remembering  always  that 
there  is  a  constant  waste  of  tissue  going  which  demands  repair  by  food. 

"In  cold  weather  if  horses  be  not  warmly  clad,  they  should  have  an 
increase  to  the  amount  of  their  corn." —  M.  H.  Hayes,  "  Training  and 
Horse  Management  in  India"  pp.  77,  7<5>. 

"  Of  the  quantity  to  be  given  experience  is  also  our  best  guide.  The 
regulation  cavalry  allowance  of  ten  pounds  per  diem  unquestionably  is  suf- 
ficent  for  horses  in  ordinary  work.  This  weight  is  about  equivalent  to  what 
is  usually  understood  as  three  feeds.  But  where  the  work  is  severe,  horses 
should  be  allowed  as  much  oats  as  they  will  eat.  Hunters  so  fed  will  not 
consume  on  the  average  of  the  winter  more  than  from  fourteen  to  fifteen 
pounds  or  possibly  sixteen  per  diem.  Large  carriage  horses  in  ordinary 
gentleman's  work  require  fourteen  pounds  per  day.  On  this  allowance  they 
ought  to  be  kept  in  the  best  possible  condition."  —  Sir  F.  Fitzwygram, 
"  Horses  and  Stables,"  p.  37. 

"  The  Daily  Allowance  of  oats  is  very  variable.  Hunters  and  racers 
receive  almost  as  much  as  they  will  eat  during  the  season  of  work.  The 


398  CRUSHED  AND  BRUISED  OATS. 

quantity  for  these  horses  varies  from  twelve  to  sixteen  or  eighteen  pounds 
per  day.  Stage  and  mail  horses  get  about  the  same  allowance.  Some  will 
not  consume  above  fourteen  pounds,  others  will  manage  nearly  eighteen.  In 
most  stables  some  other  corn  is  used.  For  every  pound  of  barley  or  beans 
that  may  be  given,  rather  more  than  an  equal  weight  is  taken  off  the  ordinary 
allowance  of  oats.  Saddle  horses  receive  about  twelve  pounds  of  oats,  cart 
horses  from  ten  to  fourteen." — -John  Stewart,  "  Stable  Economy"  p. 


FIG.  203.  FIG.  204. 

APPROXIMATE    DIMENSIONS    OF    ROUND    QUART    MEASURES. 
DIAMETER.  DEPTH. 

1  qt.  5  3-8  inches.  2  7-8  inches. 

2  qt.  6  3-4  inches.  3  3-4  inches. 
4  qt.                                 8  1-2  inches.  4  3-4  inches. 

"  Where  we  cannot  always  be  present  and  must  trust  to  subordinates, 
the  only  way  is  to  make  a  fair,  liberal,  but  not  profuse  allowance ;  and  if 
things  on  that  allowance  are  done  well,  it  is  bad  policy  to  notice  any  little 
advantage  those  subordinates  may  derive  on  particular  occasions. 

"  We  now  come  to  the  kind  of  horse  I  will  suppose  the  reader  about  to 
keep,  namely,  a  moderate  sized  one,  for  moderate  work  in  harness  or  for  the 
saddle.  For  such  a  horse,  four  quarterns*  of  corn  and  a  trussf  of  hay  in 
four  days  are  quite  sufficient ;  if  a  horse,  merely  to  ride  for  an  airing,  three 
quarterns  are  enough  with  perhaps  a  trifling  addition  in  that  case  to  his  hay." 
—Charles  Brindley,  "  The  Pocket  and  the  Stud,"  pp.  126,  127. 

CRUSHED    AND    BRUISED    OATS. 

"  Next  to  having  oats  good  and  of  a  proper  age,  it  is  a  matter  of  vast 
importance  to  give  them  crushed  or  bruised  to  all  horses ;  for  this  an  oat 
bruiser  is  desirable,  as  they  should  be  bruised  fresh  and  fresh,  that  is,  I  should 

*  Four  quarterns  equal  one  peck.  t  One  truss  is  equal  to  56  Ibs. 


THE  PURCHASE  OF  OATS.  399 

say,  once  a  week  ;  the  advantage  to  the  horses  is  very  great.  If  horses  are 
delicate,  they  eat  them  better  ;  if  greedy,  their  bolting  them  is  of  less  con- 
sequence ;  and  with  all  horses  they  digest  better  and  go  further  in  point  of 
nutriment."  —  Charles  Brindley,  "  The  Pocket  and  the  Stud,"  p.  125. 

"  It  will  save  considerable  waste  to  have  the  oats  bruised  in  a  mill  ;  the 
cost  of  one  is  only  five  or  six  pounds  ;  the  trouble  of  it,  nothing.  I  was 
never  aware  of  the  quantity  of  dirt  and  impurities  to  be  found  even  in  clean 
oats  till  a  friend  recently  showed  me  the  siftings  of  his  bruising  mill  ;  such 
rubbish  in  the  stomach  of  a  horse  cannot  but  be  most  injurious  ;  the  princi- 
pal object,  however,  in  bruising  the  corn,  is  to  assist  the  mastication,  and,  of 
course,  the  digestion.  The  oats  frequently  pass  through  the  stomach  and 
bowels  without  being  broken,  especially  in  horses  that  are  fast  feeders  ;  I 
think  it  is  no  exaggeration  to  say  that  three  feeds  of  bruised  oats  will  convey 
as  much  nutriment  to  the  animal  as  four  that  are  not  bruised."  —  Sir  George 
Stephen,  "  The  Adventures  of  a  Gentleman  in  Search  of  a  Horse"  p. 


THE    PURCHASE    OF    OATS. 

There  are  many  tricks  resorted  to  whereby  the  samples 
are  made  misleading  ;  thus  by  pouring  oats  very  slowly  into 
the  measure,  they  pack  closely  together  and  weigh  more  per 
quart  than  if  poured  in  hastily.  The  same  deceptive  effect 
is  produced  by  removing  the  down  from  the  husks  by  friction, 
which  allows  the  grain  to  form  in  a  more  solid  mass. 
Again  oats  that  have  been  dampened  will  be  of  apparently 
good  weight  as  will  those  which  have  been  mixed  with  a 
small  amount  of  sand  or  dirt.  The  simplest  and  surest  way 
to  avoid  such  deceptions  is  not  to  confine  the  inspection  to 
a  sample,  but  to  submit  the  entire  consignment  to  the  various 
tests.  Another  method  of  testing  oats  is  to  take  a  two-quart 
measure  full  of  each  sample  and  after  thoroughly  sifting 
each  lot  weigh  them  separately.  Those  weighing  the  most 
contain  proportionally  more  nutriment.  Sir  F.  Fitzwygram 
recommends  the  following  method  : 


400  THE   WEIGHT  AND  PRICE  OF  OATS. 

"  The  best  plan,  however,  of  testing  the  true  weight  is  by  means  of  a 
very  simple  machine  which  can  be  made  by  any  carpenter.  Make  a  box  30 
inches  deep  by  12  x  12  inches,  which  will  hold  about  ij  bushels.  At  the 
bottom  make  a  hole  4  J  x  4  J  inches,  and  fit  it  with  a  sliding  door  underneath, 
which  must  fit  easy,  and  fill  it  with  oats. 

"  Underneath  the  box,  at  a  distance  of  five  inches  below  it,  place  the 
bushel  measure.  Draw  back  the  door  and  let  the  oats  run  through.  When 
the  bushel  is  rather  more  than  full,  push  back  the  door.  Then  '  strike  '  the 
measure  and  weigh  the  bushel  and  its  contents.  Deduct  the  weight  of  the 
measure,  and  you  have  the  natural  or  trade  weight  of  the  oats.  In  the 
bushel  legal  measure,  the  depth  is  not  to  exceed  one-half  of  the  diameter." — 
"  Horses  and  Stables"  p.  41. 

For  this  purpose  a  bushel  measure,  its  accuracy  guar- 
anteed by  a  stamp  on  the  bottom,  should  be  bought. 


THE    WEIGHT    AND    PRICE. 

Oats  are  sold  usually  by  the  bag,  each  bag  containing  two 
bushels,  and  although  estimated  by  the  bushel,  oats  are  in 
reality  dealt  in  by  weight  and  not  by  measure.  The  legal 
weight  varies  in  the  different  states  between  thirty  and  thirty- 
three  pounds  to  the  bushel,  but  in  the  majority  thirty-two 
pounds  is  the  weight  prescribed  by  law.  A  bag  of  oats, 
therefore,  should  weigh  not  less  than  sixty-five  pounds,  one 
pound  being  the  weight  of  the  bag.  Good  oats,  however, 
should  weigh  between  forty  and  forty-five  pounds  to  the 
measured  bushel.  Above  that  weight  oats  are  called  "fan- 
cies," and  command  a  still  higher  price.  The  price  varies 
between  thirty  and  fifty  cents  per  bushel  according  to  the 
quality,  time  of  the  year  and  size  of  the  crop.  Thirty-eight 
cents  is  a  fair  average  price. 


BRAN  AND  SHORTS.  401 

BRAN    AND    SHORTS. 

Bran  is  the  generic  term  including  "shorts,"  the  latter 
being  the  form  generally  used,  as  it  signifies  that  part  of 
bran  having  the  most  body.  Bran  is  the  husk  or  envelope 
of  the  wheat  grains;  the  outer  part  of  this  skin  is  said  to  be 
indigestible  and  acts  as  a  laxative,  while  the  inner  part,  by 
converting  starchy  substances  into  sugar,  aids  the  process 
of  digestion.  The  properties  of  bran  are  not  generally 
understood,  and  consequently  it  is  greatly  misused.  Dry 
bran  has  an  astringent  effect  and  may  be  used  to  counter- 
act the  effects  of  an  overdose  of  physic,  or  to  soften  water 
that  is  too  hard.  Bran  costs  a  little  less  than  one  cent  per 
pound. 

"  Bran  is  also  most  useful  where  we  find  water  hard  or  a  horse  subject 
to  be  affected  by  it,  indeed  it  is  always  a  safe  precaution  to  use  it  where  we 
are  not  certain  of  its  nature;  a  few  handfuls  stirred  in  will  render  hard 
water  safe  and  innocuous  even  to  delicate  horses."  —  Charles  Brindley, 
"  Pocket  and  the  Stud"  p.  137. 

When  bran  is  given  as  a  laxative,  under  ordinary  condi- 
tions it  should  be  given  cold.  When  given  warm  its  effi- 
ciency as  an  aperient  is  increased.  As  a  horse  that  is  in  a 
low  condition  or  suffering  from  any  inflammatory  trouble 
requires  to  have  his  strength  increased  and  not  reduced, 
mashes  should  never  under  such  circumstances  be  given, 
though  it  is  the  general  practice  among  stablemen  to  give 
mashes  irrespective  of  the  nature  of  the  ailment. 

For  covering  the  mash  a  thick  cloth  may  be  used  or  a 
couple  of  handfuls  of  dry  bran  scattered  on  the  surface. 
Mashes  should  be  given  to  horses  for  five  or  six  consecutive 
feeds  before  administering  physic,  as  it  prevents  gripes,  and 
enables  a  mild  dose  to  operate  thoroughly,  thus  obviating 


402  BRAN  AND  SHORTS. 

the  necessity  of  the  objectionable  use  of  stronger  physic. 
When  it  is  not  convenient  to  mix  chaff  with  the  oats,  a 
handful  of  dry  bran  mixed  with  the  grain  will  often  prevent 
a  horse  from  bolting  his  food. 

"Nothing  can  be  more  anomalous  than  the  opinion  entertained  on 
the  use  of  bran,  as  it  obtains  in  many  quarters.  Believed  to  be  non-nutri- 
tious, it  is  given  largely  during  disease,  to  ward  off  critical  inflammation, 
which  a  diet  of  corn  might  increase ;  but  why  it  is  persisted  in  with  animals 
suffering  from  general  prostration  and  weakening  complaints  is  quite 
paradoxical. 

"  It  is  a  very  common  practice  in  some  places  to  leave  the  bran  mash, 
even  for  days,  before  the  sick  animal.  The  mixture  ferments,  fouls  the 
woodwork,  and  nauseates  the  sufferer,  who  shows  his  disgust  by  stand- 
ing as  far  away  as  his  chain  will  allow. 

"  As  a  laxative,  bran  is  justly  called  into  requisition  periodically  as  a 
warm  mash  for  animals  in  whom  there  exists  an  innate  disposition  to  consti- 
pation. I  place  the  action  of  a  bran  mash,  given  occasionally,  as  one  of 
the  safest,  most  natural  and  acceptable  adjuncts  toward  the  preservation  of 
health ;  which  effect  is  produced  with  more  benefit  and  less  deterioration 
to  the  system  than  by  any  other  means.  There  are  few  horses  that  will  not 
take  it  when  offered  as  a  change,  and  I  would  recommend,  especially 
in  winter,  that  it  be  given  at  the  temperature  of  new  milk,  not  cold,  and 
the  use  of  it  should  not  be  insisted  upon  indiscriminately,  or  ill  effects 
are  speedily  shown."  —  George  Armatage,  "  How  to  Feed  the  Horse," 
p.  84. 

"  A  bran  mash  should  be  made  as  follows  :  The  bran  [about  six  quarts. 

-  ED.]  should  be  placed  in  a  clean  pail  and  as  much  boiling  water  poured 

in  as  the  bran  will  absorb.     Half  an  ounce  of  salt  may  be  added,  and  the 

whole  should  be  covered  up  to  keep  the  steam  until  sufficiently  cool."  — 

Sir  F.  Fitzwygram,  "  Horses  and  Stables"  p.  62. 

"  Horses  that  get  a  full  amount  of  corn  should,  as  a  rule,  have  a  bran 
or  a  bran  and  linseed  mash  once  or  twice  a  week,  say  on  Wednesday  and 
Saturday  nights.  It  will  tend  to  remove  any  irritation  of  the  intestines 
caused  by  the  grains."  —  M.  H.  Hayes,  "  Training  and  Horse  Management 
in  India,"  p.  78. 


OATMEAL  AND  H-O.  403 

OATMEAL. 

"  Gruel  made  from  oatmeal  is  palatable  and  refreshing  to  a  tired  horse. 
The  stomach  seems  to  assimilate  it  more  readily  than  hard  corn.  The  very 
best  fresh  coarsely  ground  oatmeal  should  be  used.  Good  gruel  is  made 
by  putting  about  a  double  handful  of  oatmeal  into  a  pail  and  pouring  on  it 
a  little  cold  water.  After  being  well  stirred  a  gallon  and  a  half  of  hot  but 
not  boiling  water  must  be  added  and  the  whole  stirred  again.  Boiling  water 
should  not  be  used  because  it  produces  a  more  starchy  compound  than  is 
suitable  for  the  stomach  of  the  horse  in  an  exhausted  condition.  The  tem- 
perature should  be  reduced  to  that  of  new  milk  before  given ;  if  the  horse 
is  very  much  overtasked  it  may  be  advisable  to  add  to  it  a  wineglassful  of 
spirits  or  a  pint  of  ale."  —  Sir  P.  Fitzwygram,  "Horses  and  Stables"  p.  62. 

Gruel  may  also  be  made  of  linseed,  as  described  under 

linseed. 

"  Oatmeal,  in  the  form  of  gruel,  constitutes  one  of  the  most  important 
articles  of  diet  for  the  sick  horse  j  not  indeed  forced  upon  hjm,  but  a  pail 
containing  it  being  slung  in  his  box,  and  of  which  he  will  soon  begin  to 
drink  when  water  is  denied.  Few  grooms  make  good  gruel;  it  is  either 
not  boiled  long  enough,  or  a  sufficient  quantity  of  oatmeal  has  not  been 
used.  The  proportions  should  be,  a  pound  of  meal  thrown  into  a  gallon 
of  water,  and  kept  constantly  stirred  until  it  boils,  and  five  minutes  after- 
wards. 

"  White  water,  made  by  stirring  a  pint  of  oatmeal  in  a  pail  of  water, 
the  chill  being  taken  from  it,  is  an  excellent  beverage  for  the  thirsty  and 
tired  horse."—  William  Youatt,  "  The  Horse," p.  133. 

H-O. 

H-O  (the  residuum  of  oatmeal  manufactured  for  table 
use)  has  been  recommended  to  the  writer  by  many  who  have 
successfully  employed  it  as  fodder.  It  is  considered  a  cheap 
form  of  food  for  horses  out  of  work,  and  when  mixed  with 
oats  is  an  excellent  substitute  for  a  pure  oat  diet  for  horses 
in  work.  It  is  sold  in  sacks  of  one  hundred  pounds  and 
costs  about  fifty  cents  per  sack. 


404  LINSEED  AND  BEANS. 

LINSEED. 

Linseed,  like  bran,  is  an  aperient,  but,  unlike  the  latter, 
it  rhay  be  employed  to  advantage  in  toning  up  a  horse  with 
a  cough  or  in  a  debilitated  condition  or  for  improving  the 
coat.  It  is  too  nutritious  to  be  given  to  a  horse  with  fever. 
It  may  be  given  raw,  either  whole  or  ground,  but  it  is  gen- 
erally used  in  the  form  of  a  mash,  either  alone  or  mixed  with 
dry  bran  or  oats.  In  preparing  the  mash  half  a  pound 
should  be  used  for  each  horse,  and  the  seed  thrown  into 
boiling  water  by  the  handful.  Just  enough  water  should  be 
used  to  keep  the  seed  covered.  As  soon  as  the  seeds  burst 
the  pot  should  be  removed  from  the  fire  and  the  mash  given 
to  the  horse  before  it  has  become  cold.  When  linseed  tea 
is  to  be  made,  one  pound  of  seed  should  be  put  in  a  vessel 
and  a  gallon  of  boiling  water  poured  over  the  linseed.  The 
seed  should  not  be  boiled.  The  liquid  part  should  be  given 
when  lukewarm,  and  the  residuum  may  be  used  in  the  form 
of  a  mash  for  any  of  the  other  horses.  As  a  demulcent  the 
linseed  should  be  boiled  to  a  jelly  and  left  until  cold  before 
being  used.  An  ounce  of  seed  to  a  pint  of  water  is  the 
proper  proportion  when  the  seed  is  to  be  used  as  a  counter- 
irritant. 

BEANS. 

Beans  have  an  extremely  heating  effect  on  horses,  and 
for  this  reason  should  not  be  given  to  such  animals  as  are 
compelled  to  perform  fast  work.  Old  beans,  which  are  hard, 
dry,  plump  and  sweet,  may  be  given  to  advantage  when  the 
work  is  slow  and  prolonged.  Under  these  circumstances  or 
when  the  work  necessitates  the  horse  being  kept  out  for 
any  length  of  time  in  inclement  weather,  beans  make  a  very 


MALT,   OIL  CAKE  AND  GREEN  FODDER.  405 

good  form  of  fodder.  They  are  also  serviceable  in  keeping 
flesh  on  nervously  constituted  horses  that  are  inclined  to 
be  soft.  Whenever  beans  are  given  they  should  be  at  least 
a  year  old  and  split  or  bruised,  not  crushed.  As  they  have 
a  tendency  to  produce  colic,  they  should  never  be  given 
immediately  before  exercise.  When  a  horse  has  been  ex- 
posed to  a  hard  day's  work  in  cold  or  wet  weather  a  quart, 
about  two  pounds,  of  beans  may  be  mixed  with  his  grain  at 
the  time  of  the  evening  feeding.  In  giving  beans  for  fat- 
tening purposes  the  same  amount  may  be  similarly  given 
two  or  three  times  a  week. 

MALT. 

"  I  have  alluded  to,  as  a  useful  occasional  article  for  stable  use ;  and 
made  into  a  mash  after  a  long  day,  or  where  we  think  a  horse  feels  chilled 
and  uncomfortable,  it  will  sometimes  be  taken  by  horses  shy  of  a  bran  one ; 
and  in  such  cases  is  a  most  nourishing  and  consoling  supper;  it  is  most 
useful  where  horses  are  recovering  from  illness.  ...  In  a  similar  case  a 
malt  mash  will  be  found  as  soothing  and  comfortable  to  the  stomach  of  a 
horse." — Charles  Brindley,  "  The  Pocket  and  the  Stud"  p.  138. 

OIL   CAKE. 

Oil  cake  is  frequently  employed  for  the  purpose  of  im- 
proving the  horse's  coat.  From  two  to  four  pounds  may  be 
given  daily  and  should  be  ground  and  mixed  with  the  other 
food. 

GREEN  FODDER. 

All  roots,  such  as  carrots,  turnips,  etc.,  should  be  washed 
before  they  are  boiled,  and  even  when  given  green  it  is 
advisable  to  clean  them. 

Carrots  take  the  place  of  grass  as  a  green  food  for  winter 
use  and  may  be  given  to  advantage  once  or  twice  a  week. 


406  GREEN  FODDER. 

When  given  as  a  variation  they  should  b.e  mixed  with  a 
mash  or  a  feed  of  oats,  but  if  a  horse  is  off  his  feed  they 
may  be  given  alone  and  each  day.  Care  must  be  taken  in 
cutting  the  roots,  as  they  are  apt  to  cause  choking  when 
cut  transversely ;  they  should  be  cut  lengthwise  one  or  more 
times.  From  two  to  six  pounds  may  be  given  at  a  feeding. 
One  bushel  weighs  54  pounds  and  costs  about  seventy  cents. 

Swedish  turnips  and  mangel-wurzels  form  an  inferior 
green  fodder  to  carrots,  but  are  cheaper  and  serve  as  a  very 
fair  substitute  when  a  failure  of  the  carrot  crop  causes  the 
price  of  that  root  to  advance  to  a  point  which  is  prohibitive. 
Turnips  and  mangels  may  be  given  in  the  same  manner 
and  quantity  as  carrots.  The  legal  weight  of  turnips  and 
mangels  is  55  pounds  to  the  bushel  in  the  majority  of  the 
states. 

Grass,  considered  as  a  condiment  to  a  horse's  diet,  is 
superior  to  any  other,  as  it  not  only  possesses  to  a  greater 
degree  the  desirable  laxative  effects,  but  is  highly  nutritious. 
It  should  be  sweet  and  preferably  clover.  When  given  to 
horses  in  hard  work,  it  is  advisable  to  limit  the  amount  by 
having  a  bundle  cut  and  fed  out  sparingly  at  first,  or  by 
taking  the  horse  out  on  a  lead  rein  instead  of  turning  him 
out  to  pasture,  as  in  the  latter  case  a  horse  is  apt  to  purge 
himself  or  fall  a  victim  to  colic.  When  feeding  cut  grass  to 
horses  it  is  very  important  that  it  should  be  sweet  and  fresh, 
as  it  is  apt,  when  left  standing  a  day  or  so,  to  become  hot 
and  ferment.  A  couple  of  handfuls  each  day  is  sufficient 
for  the  first  week,  when,  if  it  does  not  act  as  too  great  a 
laxative,  a  greater  amount  may  be  given  until  it  commences 
to  affect  the  color  of  the  droppings. 


FATTENING  AND  CHEAPER  FOODS.  407 

FATTENING    FOOD. 

Such  foods  are  employed  generally  for  putting  flesh  on 
horses  rapidly  without  regard  to  their  working  condition. 
Horses  are  thus  "  put  in  flesh  and  coat"  for  the  purpose  of 
improving  their  appearance  at  the  time  of  sales  or  horse 
shows,  but  to  the  cost  of  their  ability  to  perform  any  hard  or 
protracted  work.  As  instances  may  occur  when  the  reader 
may  desire  to  have  recourse  to  such  methods,  a  few  of  these 
food  compounds  are  here  given  : 

Chopped  clover.  Indian  meal.  Boiled  linseed. 

Bran  and  malt  ferment-      Locust     beans,      finely      Crushed  oats. 

ed  with  a  little  yeast.          ground.  Potatoes. 

Ginger  (powdered).  Aniseed%  Linseed  mashes. 

Gentian  root. 

CHEAPER    FOODS    (SO    CALLED). 

In  large  breweries  and  other  commercial  establishments 
where  many  horses  are  employed  a  cent  a  day  saved  on  each 
horse  amounts  to  quite  a  sum  at  the  end  of  a  year;  and  in 
such  places,  where  all  the  conditions  under  which  the  horses 
are  used  and  the  manner  in  which  they  are  cared  for  is  dif- 
ferent from  those  of  a  private  stable,  some  such  mixture  as  is 
here  given  may  result  in  sufficient  saving  to  induce  its  being 
used  in  place  of  the  usual  fodder. 

6  Ibs.  corn  meal. 

3  Ibs.  cut  hay. 

2  qts.  wheat  bran. 

i  teaspoonful  of  salt. 

Mix  with  sufficient  water  to  moisten,  not  make  sloppy. 

This  formula  is  only  given  because  a  private  owner  often 
is  induced  to  experiment  with  various  substitutes  for  oats. 
There  is  nothing  that  has  yet  stood  the  test,  and  all  horse 


408  SALT  AND  THE   QUALITY  OF  WATER. 

owners  unite  in  declaring  oats — the  best  oats,  though  they 
cost  more  than  poor  ones  —  to  be  the  cheapest. 

SALT. 

All  horses  require  salt,  and  to  satisfy  this  demand  it  is 
customary  to  keep  a  piece  of  rock  salt,  weighing  two  or 
three  pounds,  in  the  manger  or  a  brick  of  finer  salt  in  a 
holder  at  the  head  of  the  stall.  As  some  horses  are  apt  to 
consume  more  and  others  less  than  they  should,  the  writer 
prefers  the  method  of  mixing  a  little  table  salt  with  the 
grain.  One  or  two  ounces  divided  so  that  some  is  given 
with  each  feed  of  oats  will  be  sufficient. 

THE    QUALITY    OF    WATER. 

"  The  kind  of  water  preferred  for  horses  is  that  which  is  soft.  Hard 
water  seems  to  be  quite  as  good  after  the  horse  has  become  accustomed  to 
it.  At  first  it  disorders  the  skin  and  bowels  a  little ;  the  hair  stares  and  the 
skin  is  rigid ;  the  bowels  are  relaxed,  and  at  fast  work  the  horse  is  apt  to 
purge.  In  two  or  three  weeks,  often  in  as  many  days,  he  regains  his  usual 
appearance,  and  continues  to  thrive  as  well  on  this  hard  water  as  he  pre- 
viously did  on  the  soft. 

"  Hard  water  may  be  softened  a  little  by  boiling  it,  and  the  addition  of 
about  an  ounce  of  the  carbonate  of  soda  to  every  pailful  of  water  renders 
it  softer,  but  not,  so  far  as  I  know,  more  fit  for  drinking.  A  change  from 
hard  to  soft  water  does  not  seem  to  produce  any  visible  effect  upon  the 
horse." — John  Stewart,  "Stable  Economy"  p.  322. 

"  There  is  nothing  in  which  the  different  effect  of  hard  and  soft  water 
is  so  evident  as  in  the  stomach  and  digestive  organs  of  the  horse.  Hard 
water,  drawn  fresh  from  the  well,  will  assuredly  make  the  coat  of  a  horse 
unaccustomed  to  it  stare,  and  it  will  not  unfrequently  gripe  and  otherwise  in- 
jure him."—  William  Youatt,  "  The  Horse,"  p.  138. 

"  Soft  water  is  generally  considered  preferable  to  hard,  although  I  have 
never  known  any  bad  results  accrue  to  horses  in  India  from  the  use  of  well 
water  that  was  good  for  human  consumption.  The  hard  water  of  some  lime- 


THE  TEMPERATURE  AND  QUANTITY  OF  WATER.    409 

stone  districts  in  England,  being  loaded  with  mineral  matter,  is  apt  to  cause 
colic  when  taken  cold  and  in  large  quantities,  especially  when  the  stomach 
is  full,  or  weakened  by  long  fasting.  I  prefer  well  water  in  India  to  that 
obtained  from  rivers.  Water  from  swamps  or  stagnant  pools  should  not  be 
use(j."  —  M.  H.  Hayes,  "  Training  and  Horse  Management  in  India"  p.  81. 

THE    TEMPERATURE    OF   WATER. 

"  The  chill  need  not  be  taken  off  water,  except  when  the  horse  is 
very  thirsty  and  the  water  unusally  cold."  —  M.  H.  Hayes,  "  Training  and 
Horse  Management  in  India"  p.  81. 

"  He  is  injured,  however,  not  so  much  by  the  hardness  of  the  well 
water  as  by  its  coldness,  particularly  in  summer,  and  when  it  is  many  de- 
grees below  the  temperature  of  the  atmosphere.  The  water  in  the  brook 
and  the  pond  being  warmed  by  long  exposure  to  the  air,  as  well  as  having 
become  soft,  the  horse  drinks  freely  of  it  without  danger." — William  Youatt, 
"  The  Horse"  p.  138. 

"  In  the  stables  of  valuable  horses  considerable  attention  is  paid  to  the 
temperature  of  the  water.  If  too  cold,  or  supposed  to  be  too  cold,  it  is 
warmed,  either  by  adding  hot  water  or  by  letting  it  stand  a  few  hours  in 
the  stable  or  in  the  sun  before  it  is  given.  Sometimes  a  handful  of  meal  or  of 
bran  is  thrown  into  the  water,  to  take  the  cold  air  off  it." — John  Stewart, 
"  Stable  Economy"  p.  323. 

THE    QUANTITY    OF    WATER. 

"  A  very  thirsty  horse  should  never  be  permitted  to  take  so  much  as  he 
pleases  at  one  draught.  A  little  given  at  intervals  of  fifteen  or  twenty 
minutes  till  his  thirst  is  quenched  will  prevent  all  danger,  and  the  horse  will 
take  less  upon  the  whole  than  he  would  take  at  first  in  one  draught.  When 
a  horse  is  very  thirsty,  he  will  take  more  than  he  needs  and  more  than  is 
safe. 

"  I  would  not  speak  confidently,  but  I  am  disposed  to  believe  that  there 
is  no  good  reason  for  constant  restriction,  and  that  the  evils  which  grooms 
fear  are  those  which  arise  from  a  large  draught  of  water,  given  at  once,  and 
especially  when  the  horse  is  going  to  work.  They  carry  restriction  so  far 
that  the  horse  is  always  thirsty,  and  if  he  accidentally  reach  a  large  quantity 
he  is  almost  sure  to  drink  too  much. 


410  TIME  OF  FEEDING  AND   WATERING. 

"  The  effects  of  cold  water  vary  according  to  the  quantity  given,  and 
according  to  the  state  of  the  horse.  Two  or  three  quarts  will  not  do  any 
harm,  or  at  the  most  it  will  set  the  coat  on  end.  If  the  horse  be  very  hot, 
this  small  quantity  is  very  refreshing  to  him,  and  may  be  given  with  perfect 
safety.  If  the  day  be  very  warm,  and  the  horse  kept  in  gentle  motion, 
twice  or  thrice  as  much  will  do  no  harm,  however  warm  the  horse  may  be. 
Yet  none  should  be  given  till  one  or  two  minutes  after  the  horse  is  pulled  up. 
Let  him  recover  his  wind  for  a  minute  before  he  drinks.  A  large  quantity, 
say  a  pailful,  of  very  cold  water  to  a  horse  at  rest,  not  heated  by  exertion, 
may  make  him  shiver  or  it  may  produce  pain  of  the  belly,  cramp  of  the 
bowels."  -  —John  Stewart,  "  Stable  Economy"  p.  324  et  seq. 

"  The  best  plan  regarding  the  water  of  horses  in  the  stable  is  to  allow 
them  a  constant  supply  of  it  in  their  stalls.  If  this  cannot  be  done,  they 
ought  to  be  watered  before  each  feed,  or  at  least  twice  a  day  in  cold  weather, 
and  three  times  in  hot. 

"  However  hot  and  perspiring  a  horse  may  be,  he  should  get  his  water 
at  once  before  he  cools  down ;  but  if  he  cannot  get  it  until  he  is  cool,  he 
should  be  given  a  smaller  amount,  and  some  more  at  intervals  of  five 
minutes  or  so." — M.  H.  Hayes,  "Training  and  Horse  Management  in 
India,"  p.  80. 

TIME    OF    FEEDING    AND    WATERING. 

When  horses  are  employed  in  regular  work,  i.  e.,  cover- 
ing from  eight  to  twelve  miles  day  in  and  day  out,  it  has 
been  found  advisable  to  divide  the  daily  allowance  of  fodder 
into  four  feeds ;  but  in  the  average  private  stable  circum- 
stances usually  make  it  most  convenient  to  feed  the  horses 
three  times  per  day.  In  the  morning,  at  6  A.  M.,  the  horses 
should  be  given  all  the  water  they  will  take  and  from  four 
to  six  pounds  of  hay.  At  the  time  the  servants  go  to  their 
breakfast  the  grain  should  be  given.  The  horses  should 
be  again  watered  at  half  past  eleven,  and  at  twelve  receive 
their  second  feed  of  grain.  At  five-thirty  p.  M.  they  should 
be  given  an  amount  of  water  according  to  the  work  they  have 


BEDDING.  411 

done  or  are  about  to  do,  and  from  six  to  eight  pounds  of 
hay.  At  six  P.  M.  or  at  the  time  the  servants  go  to  their 
supper  the  last  feed  of  grain  should  be  given.  In  warm 
weather,  just  before  the  stable  is  closed  for  the  night,  the 
horses  should  be  allowed  all  the  water  they  will  drink.  The 
morning  feeding  is  the  only  one  that  can  be  regularly  ad- 
hered to  in  point  of  time;  the  remaining  two  must  be 
dependent  upon  the  hours  the  owner  chooses  to  employ  his 
horses. 

In  connection  with  feeding,  the  subject  of  the  condition 
of  the  horse's  teeth  and  kidneys  must  be  considered.  From 
time  to  time  the  head  servant  should  examine  the  teeth,  and 
whenever  any  sharp  points  are  discovered  the  teeth  should 
be  filed.  The  loss  of  condition  and  the  presence  of  undi- 
gested grains  in  the  droppings  are  the  usual  indications  of 
the  teeth  being  out  of  order.  As  the  same  ill  effects  are 
produced  by  a  horse  bolting  his  food,  the  true  source  of  the 
trouble  should  be  ascertained,  and  if  it  is  due  to  the  latter 
cause  a  few  stones  the  size  of  plums  should  be  placed  in 
the  manger.  Any  disorder  of  the  kidneys  or  bladder  is 
indicated  by  the  effort  the  horse  makes  to  pass  water  and 
by  its  dark,  unnatural  color.  When  such  conditions  make 
it  evident  that  these  organs  are  deranged  the  symptoms 
should  be  carefully  noted  and  an  effort  made  to  discover  the 
source  of  the  trouble.  For  the  treatment  of  simple  cases, 
see  Sir  F.  Fitzwygram's  "  Horses  and  Stables,"  Fourth  Edi- 
tion, Chapters  LV-and  LVI. 

BEDDING. 

The  following  articles  are  used  for  bedding :  wheat,  rye 
and  oat  straw,  peat  moss,  shavings,  sawdust,  leaves  and  turf. 


412  BEDDING. 

RYE    AND    WHEAT    STRAW. 

Rye  straw  is  to  be  preferred  in  point  of  appearance  to  all 
other  forms  of  bedding,  but  its  use  in  most  stables  is  barred 
owing  to  its  high  cost. 

Wheat  straw  is  the  best  for  the  average  well  conducted 
establishment.  Owing  to  a  self-evident  fallacy,  it  is  com- 
monly supposed  that  the  use  of  long  pieces  of  straw,  such  as 
are  found  in  wheat  and  rye,  is  more  economical  than  short 
straw,  such  as  oat  or  barley.  The  straw  itself  lasts  longer, 
being  less  apt  to  mat  down,  but  when  one  end  becomes  wet 
and  soiled  the  entire  piece  has  to  be  thrown  away,  whereas 
with  oat  straw  much  less  of  the  unsoiled  is  lost.  When 
economy  has  to  be  practised,  it  will  be  found  advisable  to 
avoid  the  use  of  either  rye  or  wheat  straw.  Oat  straw  should 
be  of  secondary  choice  in  luxuriously  kept  stables,  though  it 
is  by  no  means  an  undesirable  form  of  bedding. 

PEAT  MOSS. 

Peat  moss  is  a  natural  product  which  is  being  introduced 
to  take  the  place  of  straw  as  bedding.  It  can  be  used  to  ad- 
vantage in  summer  or  for  wintering  horses  not  in  use,  but  it 
is  advisable  to  give  a  horse  in  hard  work  the  warm  clean 
bed  that  straw  affords.  It  is  cool,  soft  and  requires  less 
attention  than  straw.  It  is  estimated  that  one  ton  of  moss 
is  equal  to  two  tons  of  straw.  One  stall  requires  a  little 
less  than  one  bale.  Box  stalls  require  about  a  bale  and  a 
half.  Peat  moss  is  sold  in  bales  of  about  three  hundred 
pounds  and  costs  $10  per  ton  in  New*  York,  6  bales  to 
the  ton. 

SHAVINGS. 

Shavings  are  used  where  economy  has  to  be  practised, 
and  are  inferior  to  the  other  forms  of  bedding  mentioned. 


BEDDING.  413 

They  are  fit  only  for  keeping  a  horse  in  a  rough  state,  and 
cannot  be  recommended  for  use  in  a  private  stable.  They 
are  put  up  in  bales  weighing  about  100  pounds  and  cost 
$ioper  ton  in  New  York. 

SAWDUST. 

"  Sawdust  makes  an  excellent  bed,  and  in  many  places  it  may  be  obtained 
at  half  the  cost  of  straw.  About  100  pounds  per  week  is  sufficient  to  keep 
up  a  bed  for  one  horse.  Care  must,  however,  be  taken  to  entirely  remove 
and  renew  the  sawdust  at  least  once  a  week.  Sawdust  is  an  absorbent  of 
urine  and  also  a  deodorizer.  From  this  latter  quality  its  impure  state  is 
often  not  recognized."  —  F.  Fitzwygram,  "  Horses  and  Stables"  p.  95. 

LEAVES. 

Leaves  make  an  excellent  bedding  for  country  stables, 
but  from  their  untidy  appearance  are  limited  in  their  use. 
They  are  desirable  as  a  fertilizer  after  being  thus  used,  and 
are  more  economical  than  any  other  article  of  the  same 
efficiency. 

TURF. 

Turf  has  been  tried  to  the  writer's  knowledge  in  Europe, 
in  times  of  scarcity  of  straw,  with  fair  results.  It  is  not 
recommended  for  the  private  stables  except  in  special  or 
emergency  cases. 

BARLEY    STRAW. 

Barley  straw  should  never  be  used,  as  it  acts  as  an  irri- 
tant to  the  skin  and  causes  bad  coats.  Meadow  and  marsh 
hay  are  likewise  objectionable,  and  if  eaten  by  a  horse  are 
conducive  to  colic  and  diseases  of  the  organs  of  respiration. 
The  existence  of  the  latter  effect  is  made  evident  by  a  hack- 
ing cough,  impaired  use  of  the  lungs,  and  the  horse  becomes 
logy  if  allowed  to  eat  it. 


414  BEDDING  DOWN. 

BEDDING    DOWN. 

In  bedding  down  stalls,  stable  servants  go  from  the  ex- 
treme of  using  so  little  straw  that  it  is  almost  worse  than 
useless,  to  the  costly,  luxurious  one  of  consuming  from  two 
to  three  times  the  actual  amount  required.  From  three  to 
five  pounds  of  straw  will  comfortably  bed  down  a  horse 
in  the  average  size  stall  and  from  four  to  seven  in  a  loose  box. 
Much  of  the  common  waste  results  from  the  unwillingness 
of  grooms  to  take  the  trouble  of  drying  out  the  wet,  un- 
soiled  parts,  or  from  the  fact  that  the  facilities  for  so  doing 
are  not  at  their  command.  Each  morning  the  top  of  the 
bedding  should  be  taken  out  and  dried  in  the  sun,  the  under 
part  which  is  matted  and  soiled  should  alone  be  thrown  away. 

A  wooden  fork  (see  Fig.  205)  should  always  be  used 
about  the  stall  part  of  the  stable,  to  the  exclusion  of  those 
made  of  steel,  on  account  of  the  danger  of  injury  to  the 
horse's  eyes,  etc.  The  two-prong  steel  fork  (see  Fig.  206) 
may  be  used  in  the  hayloft,  and  the  five-prong  fork  (see 
Fig.  207)  in  the  manure  pit. 

"  To  a  hard  working  horse  a  good  bed  is  almost  as  essential  as  food. 
Many  stablemen  cannot  make  it ;  it  should  be  as  level  and  equal  as  a  mat- 
tress; there  should  be  no  lumps  in  the  litter;  it  should  come  well  back, 
and  slope  from  each  side  and  from  the  head  towards  the  centre.  Now  it  is 
not  difficult  to  make  a  good  bed ;  anybody  may  learn  it  in  a  few  days,  or 
else  his  hands  are  not  much  worth.  But  no  one  thinks  of  learning  such  a 
thing.  Those  who  become  expert  at  it  cannot  help  their  expertness.  They 
never  tried  to  obtain  it ;  practice  gave  it  them  before  they  knew  it  was 
of  any  use.  But  for  all  this  it  may  be  learned.  Show  the  man  how  to  use 
the  fork,  and  how  to  spread  the  litter ;  give  him  a  pattern  bed  in  one  stall, 
and  make  him  work  in  the  next  two  hours  every  day  for  a  week.  If  he 
cannot  learn  it  in  this  time — the  operation  is  really  worth  the  trouble — the 
man  will  never  learn  anything." — John  Stewart,  "  Stable  Economy"  p.  136. 


FORKS. 


415 


FIG.    205, 


FIG.    206. 


FIG.    207. 


416 


PURCHASING  BEDDING. 


Horses  that  eat  their  bedding 
may  be  prevented  from  continuing 
the  habit  by  the  use  of  a  muzzle  (see 
Fig.  208)  or  a  strong  solution  of 
aloes  sprinkled  on  such  parts  of  the 
straw  as  are  within  the  reach  of  the 
animal's  head.  For  those  horses 
which  destroy  their  bed  by  pawing 
the  only  efficient  preventative  is  the 
use  of  hobbles.  (See  Fig.  209.) 

PURCHASING    BEDDING. 

In    purchasing  bedding  a  choice 

should  be  made  of  the  various  kinds  of 

straw,  peat  moss,  shavings  or  leaves. 
The  purchase  of  any  one  of  these 

articles  is  made  by  bales  at  so  many 

pounds    to    each    bale.       It    matters 

little  of  what  size  these  bales  are,  if 

the   weight   and   price    per    hundred 

weight    are    given.      Care    must   be 

taken,  however,  to  see  that  the  qual- 
ity and  weight  are  as  represented. 
Wheat,  oat  and  rye  straw  are 
dearest  in  the  spring,  in  conse- 
quence of  the  cost  incident  to 
storage;  the  prices  of  the  other 
articles  of  bedding  are  more  sta- 
tionary. The  price  of  wheat  straw 
varies  between  $iS  and  $25  per 
ton.  Peat  moss  costs  $10  per  ton, 
FIG.  209.  and  shavings  about  the  same.  Rye 


FIG.    2O8. 


PURCHASING  BEDDING. 


417 


commands  between  $17  and  $20  per  ton.  As  leaves  and 
like  forms  of  bedding  have  no  standing  commercial  value 
no  price  can  be  given. 

TABLE    OF   WEIGHTS    AND    MEASURES. 


HAY. 


i  ton      -     -    2,000  Ibs. 


varies  50  Ibs. 

i  ton  loose  hay  occupies 
a  space  of  about  500 
cubic  feet. 

i  ton  baled  hay  occupies 
a  space  of  about  ten 
cubic  yards. 

No  allowance  is  made 
for  weight  of  bale 
sticks  and  wire. 

i  load  of  hay  contains 
thirty-six  trusses,  each 
truss  weighing  about 
fifty-six  Ibs. 

To  estimate  the  quantity 
of  loose  hay  in  a  mow, 
multiply  the  height, 
the  depth  and  width 
of  the  hay  in  feet 
and  divide  by  500. 

To  find  the  cost  of  hay 
per  pound,  multiply 
the  number  of  pounds 
by  half  the  price  and 
remove  the  decimal 
point  three  places  to 
the  left. 


i  ton 

i  bale 


STRAW. 

-   2,000  Ibs. 
f  250  Ibs. 
(  varies- 50  Ibs. 

i  ton  loose  straw  occu- 
pies a  space  of  about 
600  cubic  feet. 

i  ton  baled  straw  occu- 
pies a  space  of  about 
12  cubic  yards. 

No  allowance  is  made 
for  weight  of  bale 
sticks  and  wire. 

i  load  of  straw  contains 
thirty- six  trusses,  each 
weighing  about  thirty- 
six  Ibs. 

To  estimate  the  quantity 
of  loose  straw,  find  the 
number  of  cubic  feet 
it  occupies  and  divide 
by  six  hundred. 

The  cost  of  straw  per 
pound  may  be  found 
by  the  same  method 
as  that  given  for  find- 
ing the  cost  of  hay. 


OATS. 


i  quart 
i  quartern 
i  peck 
i  bushel 
i  bag    - 


-  i  Ib. 
2  Ibs. 
8  Ibs. 
32  Ibs. 
65  Ibs. 
i  Ib.  of  which  is  for 
the  weight  of  the  bag. 

-  i  quart, 
i  quartern. 

-  i  peck, 
i  bushel. 

i  bag. 
i  chaldron. 
33.600  cubic  ins. 
67.200  cubic  ins. 


2  pints 
2  quarts 
8  quarts 
4  pecks 
2  bushels 
36  bushels 
i  pt. 
i  qt. 


1  pk.  537-605  cubic  ins. 

i  bush. 

2150.42  cubic  ins. 

To  find  the  number  of 
bushels  in  a  bin,  mul- 
tiply the  number  of 
cubic  feet  by  eight 
and  poirt  off  one 
place  to  the  left. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


BLANKETING,    GROOMING,    BANDAGING    AND    SHOEING. 

THE  general  care  of 
horses  demands  the  exer- 
cise of  more  judgment  and 
thought  than  is  usually 
bestowed  upon  the  subject 
by  the  average  stable  ser- 
vant. A  precautionary  ac- 
tion at  a  critical  moment 
or  a  keen  perception  of 
the  requirements  of  some 
particular  case  often  pre- 
vents a  cold  from  developing  into  a  more  serious  complica- 
tion or  similar  accidents  from  occurring.  It  is  in  such 
apparently  little  matters  as  the  feeding  of  a  proper  amount 
of  grain  to  a  horse,  the  judicious  use  of  rugs  and  blankets, 
the  regulation  of  the  amount  of  exercise,  etc.,  which  deter- 
mine the  worth  of  a  stable  servant  as  measured  by  the 
practical  items  of  the  cost  of  maintaining  the  stable  and  in 
what  degree  the  horses,  carriages,  etc.,  are  kept  in  a  condition 
of  usefulness.  The  subjects  dealt  with  in  this  and  the  re- 
maining chapters  are  those  which  comprise  the  coachman's 
chief  responsibility.  He  cannot  have  constantly  the  benefit  of 
the  owner's  foresight  and  intelligence,  hence,  if  his  mental 
calibre  is  too  small  and  the  master  is  a  man  who  under- 
stands the  proper  management  of  his  stable,  the  servant's 

418 


BLANKETING.  419 

period  of  service  must  be  very  short.  The  tribulations  of 
most  owners  is  due  to  the  fact  that  they  are  in  very  much 
the  same  position  as  a  blind  man  leading  the  blind. 

BLANKETING. 

It  may  be  said  that  the  majority  of  horses,  in  artificially 
heated  stables,  receive  too  much  so-called  attention,  that  is, 
they  are  over-clothed,  and  as  a  result  they  easily  contract 
colds  when  taken  into  the  lower  temperature  of  the  out- 
door atmosphere.  In  the  spring  and  fall  the  sudden  changes 
from  time  to  time  make  it  necessary,  or  should  do  so,  for 
the  servant  to  constantly  alter  the  clothing.  At  these  sea- 
sons it  is  more  than  likely  we  find  the  horses  sweltering  or 
standing  chilled  with  cold  legs  -and  ears.  When  the  latter 
conditions  exist  the  coldness  of  extremities  indicates  that 
the  animal  temperature  is  unduly  lowered. 

Each  horse  should  be  provided  with  two  kersey  blankets 
and  a  night  rug,  each  weighing  about  seven  pounds;  the  two 
blankets  to  be  used  together  as  day  blankets  in  the  winter, 
and  over  the  rug  at  night  time  if  the  weather  is  very 
cold.  In  spring  and  fall  the  blankets  should  be  used 
separately.  For  the  summer  season  serge  blankets  are 
preferable  to  linen  sheets,  as  the  former  are  cooler  in 
consequence  of  the  texture  of  the  material  being  more 
open  and  its  absorption  of  any  sweat.  Moreover,  serge 
sheets  protect  the  horses  from  feeling  the  sudden  changes 
in  temperature. 

The  following  table  may  be  of  service  to  the  tyro  in 
directing  his  servant  regarding  the  use  of  clothing  for  the 
horses.  Here  again  no  hard  and  fast  rules  can  be  laid  down, 
but  aside  from  special  local  conditions  and  circumstances 


420  NIGHT  AND  EXERCISING  CLOTHING. 

the  relation  of  the  amount  of  clothing  to  the  temperature 
should  be  very  uniform. 

35°  or  lower     .     .  3  blankets,  each  weighing  seven  pounds. 

35°-45°  ....  2  blankets,  each  weighing  seven  pounds. 

45°-6o°  ....  i  blanket,  weighing  seven  pounds. 

6o°-7o°  ....  i  blanket,  weighing  five  pounds. 

70°  and  above       .  i  serge  or  linen  sheet,  weighing  one  pound. 

NIGHT    CLOTHING. 

As  the  night  clothing  is  unavoidably  soiled,  rugs  instead 
of  blankets  are  recommended.  They  are  not  only  cheap, 
but  serve  their  purpose  quite  as  well  as  a  more  expensive 
article.  Blanket  pins  are  used  to  keep  the  clothing  close 
at  the  neck.  Although  hoods  are  not  absolute  necessities, 
one  at  least,  a  heavy  one  weighing  three  and  one  half  pounds 
of  kersey,  should  be  kept  in  every  stable  of  three  or  more 
horses  for  use  in  case  of  sickness,  etc. 

EXERCISING    CLOTHING. 

Occasions  frequently  arise  when  a  horse  has  to  be  exer- 
cised in  clothing ;  under  such  circumstances  the  night  blan- 
kets may  be  used  and  afterwards  brushed  and  dried.  Unless 
a  night  set  of  rugs  is  at  hand  an  exercising  set  should  be 
used,  as  the  sweat  absorbed  soon  renders  the  blanket  air- 
proof  and  unfit  to  be  used  as  a  covering  in  the  stable.  The 
regular  exercising  blanket  is  so  arranged,  by  the  use  of  a 
breast-cloth  (see  Fig.  167,  p.  296),  that  the  action 'of  the 
fore  legs  is  not  impeded  at  each  step  by  the  pressure  of  the 
clothing  about  the  chest  and  shoulders.  This  is  a  matter 
of  importance,  and  whatever  style  of  clothing  is  used,  care 
should  be  taken  to  either  use  a  pair  of  long  leather  straps 


MEANS  OF  SECURING  THE  HORSE.  421 

or  their  equivalent   in  order  to   insure   the    animal  getting 
the  full  benefit  of  the  outing. 

DRESS    CLOTHING. 

In  the  majority  of  large  stables  one  or  more  sets  of 
dress  clothing  are  kept,  consisting  of  a  blanket  made  slightly 
smaller  all  around  than  that  for  ordinary  use,  and  instead  of 
fastening  in  front  the  blanket  is  rounded  off  at  the  shoulders, 
and  the  chest  is  protected  by  a  breast-cloth  ;  a  hood,  roller, 
roller  cloth  and  pad  complete  the  full  suit. 

MEANS    OF    SECURING    THE    HORSE. 

For  the  average  horse  the  ordinary  head-collar  or  halter 
will  be  found  sufficiently  secure,  but  when  it  happens  that 
the  horse  slips  his  collar,  a  strap  with  a  buckle  at  one  end 
should  be  fastened  to  the  crown-piece  and  the  ends  brought 
tightly  together  under  the  jowl.  Horses  that  have  the  habit 
of  pulling  back  in  their  stalls  may  sometimes  be  broken  of 
the  habit  by  looping  one  end  of  the  rope  around  the  tail  and 
passing  the  other  end  through  the  halter  before  fastening  it. 
The  halter  shank  may  be  of  either  rope  or  leather :  chain  is 
objectionable,  as  it  cannot  be  so  readily  cut  away  in  case  of 
accident.  The  end  opposite  the  buckle  should  be  run 
through  a  ring  driven  into  the  wall  about  three  feet  eight 
inches  above  the  floor.  To  the  end  of  the  strap  or  cord 
should  be  attached  a  round  block  of  wood  or  lignum-vitae  of 
sufficient  weight  to  take  up  any  slack  of  the  halter  shank. 
If  the  weight  is  attached  at  a  point  which,  when  it  is  brought 
in  contact  with  the  ring  in  the  wall,  will  just  allow  the 
buckle  end  to  touch  the  ground,  there  will  be  but  little  risk 
of  the  horse  getting  his  feet  caught. 


422         GROOMING  AND  SIGNS  OF  BAD  GROOMING. 

GROOMING. 

The  primary  object  of  grooming  is  to  stimulate  the  circu- 
lation and  keep  the  system  in  a  normal  condition  of  cleanli- 
ness. This  can  only  be  done  by  removing  the  worn-out 
tissues  of  the  cuticle  or  outer  skin  as  well  as  the  dust  and 
dirt  which  become  matted  at  the  roots  of  the  hair  and 
obstruct  the  oil  glands  in  their  function  of  excretion.  These 
innumerable  pores  are  the  drains  or  outlets  for  whatever  the 
system  rejects,  and  unless  these  channels  are  kept  open  the 
health  of  the  horse  becomes  impaired.  The  secondary 
object,  that  of  producing  a  glossiness  to  the  coat,  is  treated 
as  the  primary  one  by  most  masters  and  servants ;  hence  the 
groom  taxes  his  ingenuity  to  produce  silken  coats  with  the 
expenditure  of  as  little  muscular  force  as  is  compatible  with 
a  fair  amount  of  success. 

SIGNS    OF   BAD    GROOMING. 

Grooming  is  the  hardest  work  a  stableman  has  to  per- 
form, and  his  preparation  for  the  task  will  give  some  indica- 
tion of  how  thoroughly  he  contemplates  doing  his  work.  If 
the  man  appears  in  his  ordinary  clothes  and  merely  removes 
his  coat  or  hat,  the  reader  may  safely  conclude  that  the 
primary  object  of  grooming  will  be  entirely  neglected,  and 
the  secondary  one  obtained  by  a  very  inadequate  and  insuf- 
ficient amount  of  manual  labor.  A  good  groom  will  make 
his  first  appearance  in  the  morning  dressed  in  a  flannel  shirt 
and  a  pair  of  old  trousers,  prepared  for  "  a  sweat." 

Many  otherwise  good  coachmen  cannot  or  will  not 
thoroughly  clean  a  horse,  and  an  owner  should  satisfy  any 
suspicions  of  negligence  by  passing  his  fingers  through  the 
horse's  coat,  against  the  hair,  especially  about  the  mane, 


SIGNS  OF  BAD  GROOMING.  423 

under  the  jaw,  the  inner  sides  of  the  legs,  the  hollow  above 
the  hocks  and  up  the  centre  of  the  back.  If  a  white  line  of 
dust  or  dandruff  marks  the  direction  the  hand  has  taken,  or 
the  roots  of  the  hair  are  filled  with  dirt,  it  may  be  concluded 
that  the  grooming  has  been  omitted  or  carelessly  performed. 
Bad  grooming  is  again  shown  when  the  sunshine  falls  on  the 
horse's  rough  coat  from  the  rear:  the  dust  and  dirt  are  then 
unavoidably  detected.  The  continuous  dropping  of  loose 
hair  on  the  lap-robes  and  clothes  of  the  occupants  of  a 
carriage  at  other  times  than  in  the  spring  and  fall,  when  the 
horse  is  shedding,  is  another  evidence  that  sufficient  "  elbow 
grease"  is  not  being  used.  When  such  "accidents"  are 
blamed  on  the  blankets  or  a  dusty  stable,  "James"  should 
be  told  that  he  alone  is  at  fault,  and  if  he  cannot  keep  the 
horses  clean  there  are  other  men  who  can.  Bad  groom- 
ing should  be  immediately  and  decidedly  remarked  upon,  as 
should  any  indication  that  the  superficial  glossiness  is  due 
to  the  action  of  stimulants  or  the  use  of  oils.  The  stable- 
men should  be  absolutely  forbidden  the  administering  of 
any  medicines,  tonics  or  other  stimulants  without  receiving 
special  permission  upon  each  occasion  that  they  are  re- 
quired. A  groom  detected  violating  this  order  should  be 
summarily  dismissed. 

"  It  would  be  well  for  the  proprietor  of  the  horse  if  he  were  to  insist — 
and  see  that  his  orders  are  really  obeyed — that  the  fine  coat  in  which  he  and 
his  groom  so  much  delight  is  produced  by  honest  rubbing,  and  not  by  a 
heated  stable  and  thick  clothing,  and  most  of  all,  not  by  stimulating  or 
injurious  spices."  —  William  Youatt,  "  The  Horse" p.  128. 

"  If  a  horse  is  clean,  no  scurf  nor  grease  of  any  kind  should  ever  adhere* 
to  the  hand  when  rubbed  over  the  skin.  If  your  groom  assures  you  to  the 
contrary,  and  says  that  you  must  expect  a  little,  he  lies,  and  knows  it,  too." 
— Major  Fisher,  "  Through  Stable  and  Saddle  Room" 


424  AMOUNT  OF  AND  TIME  FOR  GROOMING. 

AMOUNT    OF    GROOMING. 

When  the  horse  is  doing  regular  daily  work,  the  groom- 
ing should  be  done  twice  a  day — first  the  early  morning 
grooming  and  then  again  after  being  out.  The  purpose  of 
the  early  grooming  is  to  cleanse  the  skin  and  coat  of  the 
continually  accumulating  emanations  of  the  body.  The 
necessity  of  the  second  grooming,  to  remove  the  dust  and 
sweat,  is  self-evident.  In  stormy  weather,  when  the  horse  is 
not  taken  out,  the  morning  cleaning  is  sufficient.  A  horse 
not  in  use,  but  kept  in  condition  by  daily  exercise,  should  be 
regularly  groomed  twice  a  day,  unless  an  economy  of  time 
has  to  be  practised,  in  which  case  the  cleaning  should  be 
done  after  the  horse  has  been  exercised. 

TIME    FOR    GROOMING. 

As  to  the  time  at  which  the  grooming  should  be  begun 
there  is  some  little  diversity  of  opinion.  The  common  prac- 
tice is  to  have  this  work  done  as  soon  as  the  horses  are  fed 
and  watered ;  the  writer,  however,  has  found  it  more  conven- 
ient for  the  men,  and  consequently  productive  of  greater 
success,  to  have  the  horses  watered  and  fed  and  the  bedding 
cared  for  between  six  and  seven  A.  M.  After  the  servants 
have  had  their  breakfast,  the  grooming  is  commenced 
promptly  at  seven  thirty,  and  half  an  hour  allowed  for  each 
horse.  Grooming  is  hard  work  and  doubly  hard  on  an 
empty  stomach,  while  that  of  cleaning  up  the  stalls,  arrang- 
ing the  day  bedding  and  putting  the  wet  straw  out  to  dry 
is  comparatively  light  work.  By  having  this  part  of  the 
work  done  before  breakfast  and  allowing  half  an  hour,  from 
seven  to  seven  thirty,  to  elapse  between  the  feeding  and  the 
"  strapping,'*  the  servants' .comfort  is  considered  as  well  as 


TIME  REQUIRED  FOR  GROOMING.  425 

that  of  the  horse.  Moreover,  it  is  more  convenient  at  this 
latter  hour  for  the  owner  to  be  present  now  and  then  when 
the  grooming  is  being  done.  If  the  master  has  to  be  car- 
ried to  the  railroad  station  at  an  early  hour  such  a  pro- 
gramme is  open  to  serious  objections,  unless  the  servant 
begins  the  work  at  an  earlier  hour.  Many  grooms  will  de- 
clare that  they  are  up  at  five  and  like  it.  The  writer  has  had, 
in  a  long  experience,  some  of  these  avowedly  early  risers  in 
his  service,  but  has  found  in  actual  practice  that  they  shirked 
beginning  work  at  six  o'clock. 

"  The  duties  of  the  groom  considered  in  relation  to  time  usually  com- 
mence at  half  past  five  or  six  in  the  morning."  — John  Stewart,  "  Stable 
Economy"  p.  78. 

TIME    REQUIRED    FOR    GROOMING. 

Three-quarters  of  an  hour  is  ample  time  in  which  to 
thoroughly  groom  a  horse,  and  a  man  who  cannot  do  it  in 
that  time  has  missed  his  calling,  and  the  services  of  a  com- 
petent man  should  be  secured.  The  majority  of  horses  can 
be  well  and  thoroughly  groomed  in  half  an  hour,  but  there 
are  some  animals  that,  owing  to  heavy,  rough  coats  or  manes, 
demand  an  additional  fifteen  minutes'  labor.  Many  servants 
work  an  hour  or  more  over  each  horse,  but  they  simply 
waste  time  either  from  not  employing  it  to  good  advantage  or 
because  they  perform  their  work  unsystematically.  When 
men  know  that  if  the  grooming  can  be  properly  done  in 
from  half  to  three-quarters  of  an  hour,  and  are  made  to 
understand  that  their  master  knows  it  should  be  done  in 
this  time,  they  will  perform  their  work  with  a  proper  amount 
of  celerity. 

"  A  good  groom  ought  to  be  able  to.  clean  a  horse  thoroughly  in  the 


426 


ORDER  AND  METHOD  OF  GROOMING. 


morning  or  after  ordinary  work,  when  his  coat  is  short,  in  half  an  hour. 
Fifteen  or  possibly  twenty  minutes  more  may  be  required  after  work,  if  the 
horse  returns  hot  or  very  muddy.  If  the  horse  has  a  very  thick  or  long 
coat  twenty  minutes  more  may  be  added  to  the  above  periods.  Not  only 
ought  the  groom  to  be  able  to  do  it  within  these  periods,  but  the  master 
ought  to  insist  that  he  does  it  thoroughly  in  that  time."  —  Sir  F.  Fitzwy- 
gram,  "  Horses  and  Stables"  p.  76. 

ORDER  AND  METHOD  OF  GROOMING. 

The  use  of  a  pair  of  pillar-reins  should  be  insisted  upon. 
When  a  horse  is  being  groomed,  especially  under  the  loins, 

he  is  very  apt  to  bite  or  kick,  and 
if  the  groom  suffers  from  his  own 
carelessness  he  invariably  vents  his 
rage  upon  the  horse,  usually  by 
striking  him  about  the  head.  The 
pillar-reins  should  be  made  of 
leather,  with  buckles  at  both  ends ; 
they  should  be  attached  to  either 
side  of  the  stall  or  to  posts,  and 
be  just  long  enough  to  allow  the 
horse  to  turn  his  head  four  or  six 
inches  to  either  side.  Should  the 
horse  be  a  determined  biter  the 
groom  should  be  made  to  take  the 
extra  precaution  of  putting  a  dress- 
ing muzzle  (see  Fig.  210)  on  the 
animal,  notwithstanding  his  declar- 
ing that  the  horse  knows  him,  etc. 
Never  leave  a  horse  untied 
either  in  or  out  of  his  stall. 

Have  as  much  fresh  air  in  the  stable  as  the  season  of 


FIG.    210. 


ORDER  AND  METHOD  OF  GROOMING.  427 

the  year  permits,  and  prevent  any  draught  from  blowing  on 
the  horse  by  only  opening  the  doors  and  windows  at  one 
end  of  the  stable. 

Back  the  horse  out  of  the  stall,  exchange  the  head-collar  for 
a  cleaning  bridle  and  attach  the  horse  by  a  pair  of  pillar-reins. 

Remove  the  blanket,  shake  it  out  of  doors  and  hang  it, 
turned  inside  out,  in  the  sunshine. 

First  clean  one  side  of  the  horse  and  then  the  other, 
commencing  at  the  head,  then  do  the  neck,  fore  quarters, 
body  and  hind  quarters,  A  mere  polishing  of  the  surface  is 
not  wanted,  but  a  hard,  deep  rubbing  of  the  coat  with  the 
body  brush.  Stand  at  arm's  length  from  the  horse,  carry 
the  right  or  brush  hand  above  the  head  and  throw  the  weight 
of  the  body  into  each  stroke. 

"  There  is  no  necessity,  however,  for  half  the  punishment  which  many  a 
groom  inflicts  upon  the  horse  in  the  act  of  dressing ;  and  particularly  on  one 
whose  skin  is  thin  and  sensitive."  —  William  Youatt,  "  The  Horse"  p.  128. 

Begin  with  the  body  brush  and  currycomb,  but  do  not 
touch  the  horse  with  the  currycomb ;  use  the  latter  for  clean- 
ing the  body  brush  from  time  to  time.  Rub  well  into  the 
roots  of  the  hair  with  the  body  brush  against  and  with  the 
hair.  Do  not  use  a  dandy  brush ;  it  ruins  the  horse's  coat, 
and  should  only  be  employed  to  remove  mud  from  the 
horse's  legs  and  belly  and  as  a  mane  brush. 

"  Perhaps  the  cardinal  principle  in  grooming  is  this :  the  currycomb 
should  not  be  employed  on  the  horse,  but  on  the  brush.  Now  the  ordi- 
nary horse  owner  will  declare  that  this  statement  is  applicable  only  to  stables 
of  rich  men,  where  grooms  are  abundant ;  and  such,  I  confess,  was  long  my 
opinion.  But  when  finally  I  tried  the  experiment  with  my  own  hands  I 
quickly  discovered  the  mistake.  The  truth  is,  that  a  horse  can  be  cleaned 
not  only  much  better,  but  much  quicker  without  the  currycomb  used  upon 


428  ORDER  AND  METHOD  OF  GROOMING. 

him  than  with  it ;  the  reason  being  that  the  currycomb  applied  to  the  skin 
irritates  it,  and  therefore  produces  more  dandruff  than  it  removes." — H. 
C.  Mcrwin,  "  Road,  Track  and  Stable,"  p.  304. 

Next  take  a  straw  wisp,  which  should  be  dampened  and 
flattened  by  pounding  it  with  the  heel.  With  the  wisp  the 
horse  should  be  gone  over  in  the  same  manner  as  when  using 
the  body  brush.  The  wisp  should  be  used  with  and  not 
against  the  hair.  A  wisp  is  made  by  twisting  straws  into  a 
rope  of  about  two  feet  and  a  half  in  length  and  forming  it 
into  a  knot. 

After  the  use  of  the  wisp  go  lightly  and  quickly  over  the 
horse  with  a  crash  rubber  or  a  chamois.  The  object  of  this 
part  of  the  dressing  is  merely  to  remove  any  bits  of  straw 
and  to  lay  the  coat. 

Now  put  on  the  day  blanket,  placing  it  farther  forward 
than  it  is  to  remain,  and  having  fastened  the  buckle,  stand 
squarely  behind  the  horse  and  draw  the  blanket  into  place. 
The  roller  should  be  put  on  and  the  blanket  carefully 
smoothed  under  the  body  before  tightening  up  the  roller. 

With  a  wet  sponge  wash  out  the  mouth,  nostrils,  eyes 
and  under  the  loins  and  tail  and  dry  these  parts  with  a 
rubber.  The  feet  should  then  be  cleaned  and  washed  out 
with  a  water-brush,  care  being  taken  not  to  wet  the  hair 
about  the  hoofs,  especially  about  the  heels.  While  this  part 
of  the  work  is  being  done,  attention  should  be  given  to  the 
shoes  and  any  insecurity  noted. 

"  We  may  ascertain  if  a  shoe  is  loose,  however  slightly,  by,  after  taking 
up  the  foot,  gently  tapping  the  ground  surface  of  the  shoe  with  the  fingers. 
The  nature  of  the  sound  thus  made  will  serve  io  confirm  or  dissipate  our 
suspicions.  As  long  as  the  nails  have  a  firm  hold,  so  long  will  the  heels  of 
the  hoof  be  protected  from  undue  wear ;  but  when  the  shoes  become  loose, 


WASHING  THE  LEGS,  MANE  AND  TAIL.  429 

they  soon  get  knocked  to  pieces,  and  the  proper  slope  of  the  hoof  will  be 
destroyed  for  the  time  being."  —  Capt.  M.  H.  Hayes,  "Horse  Management 
in  India"  p.  117. 

The  mane  and  tail  should  now  be  brushed.  For  this 
purpose  a  dandy  or  mane  brush  should  be  used  and  the  hair 
straightened  out  from  the  ends  and  not  from  the  roots. 
Don't  use  a  comb  ;  it  ruins  the  hair.  When  this  part  of  the 
work  is  finished,  put  on  the  day  head-collar  and  return  the 
horse  immediately  to  his  stall. 

The  use  of  the  various  forms  of  varnish  on  the  horse's 
hoof  is  altogether  objectionable  in  the  country,  and  its  only 
redeeming  quality  in  the  city  is  that  it  gives  the  hoof  a 
rather  trimmer  appearance.  Owing  to  the  sticky  nature  of 
the  varnish  ingredients  the  hoof  dressing  collects  dirt,  and 
in  the  country  the  hoof  immediately  becomes  covered  with 
a  coating  of  dust.  The  use  of  hoof  dressing  is  injurious  to 
the  hoof,  inasmuch  as  it  chokes  up  the  pores  and  affects  the 
thin  coating  of  horn  which  nature  provided  as  a  protection 
to  the  fibres  composing  the  hoof. 

WASHING    THE    LEGS,    MANE    AND    TAIL. 

If  a  horse  came  in  the  previous  day  with  muddy  legs, 
they  should  be  washed  later  in  the  morning,  after  the  regular 
work  has  been  completed.  For  this  work  warm  water,  cas- 
tile  soap  and  a  water-brush  should  be  used  and  the  legs 
thoroughly  rinsed  with  cold  water.  The  white  hair  on  the 
legs  of  all  horses  should  be  similarly  cleansed  every  day.  A 
very  common  fault  in  performing  this  work  is  the  partial  or 
entire  neglect  of  drying  the  legs,  and  as  a  result  the  heels 
become  cracked,  which  is  a  very  similar  complaint  to 
chapped  hands  in  a  person.  Nine  cases  out  of  ten  of  cracked 


430  CLEANING  THE  SHEATH. 

heels  is  due  to  carelessness  on  the  part  of  the  stable  servants, 
and  when  it  occurs  the  master  may  satisfy  himself  as  to  the 
cause  by  personally  supervising  the  work  of  drying  the  legs 
for  a  few  days.  The  habit  of  drying  the  legs  with  woollen 
bandages  is  not  recommended.  It  originated  in  supplement- 
ing the  drying  with  rubbers,  but  when  practised  by  lazy 
servants,  the  preliminary  drying  is  omitted. 

The  mane  and  tail  should  be  thoroughly  washed  from 
time  to  time.  Once  a  month  in  the  winter  is  sufficiently 
often,  but  during  the  dusty  weather  of  the  summer  months 
the  mane  and  tail  should  be  washed  two  or  three  times  each 
week.  The  skin  at  the  roots  of  the  hair  should  be  washed 
with  soap  and  a  water-brush  and  the  hair  well  lathered  and 
all  parts  thoroughly  rinsed  with  clear  water. 

CLEANING   THE    SHEATH. 

The  sheaths  of  all  geldings  and  stallions  should  be  thor- 
oughly washed  out  with  castile  soap  and  warm  water  and 
then  carefully  rinsed  with  cold  water.  During  the  summer 
months,  when  the  roads  are  very  dusty,  the  cleaning  of  this 
part  should  be  done  at  least  once  a  month  but  in  winter  it 
will  not  be  necessary  to  repeat  the  washing  at  such  frequent 
intervals.  As  the  neglect  of  this  work  is  not  likely  to  be 
detected,  its  omission  is  a  common  fault. 

Each  servant  should  have  a  basket  about  two  feet  long, 
eight  inches  deep  and  a  foot  wide,  in  which  the  grooming 
articles  should  be  kept.  By  such  means  the  brushes, 
sponges,  etc.,  are  kept  together,  and  there  is  less  likelihood 
of  their  becoming  lost,  misplaced  or  converted  into  obstruc- 
tions. 

"  From  the  same  want  of  rule  (but  sometimes  from  want  of  convenience 


STOPPING  THE  FEET,  ETC.  431 

to  avoid  it),  we  often  see  a  man  hunting  for  his  currycomb  and  brush,  or  any 
article  he  uses,  under  the  manger,  under  the  straw  close  to  the  standings, 
and  in  his  various  other  hiding-places ;  all  this  at  once  shows  bad  manage- 
ment somewhere,  and  looks  most  unstableman-like."  —  Charles  Brindley, 
"  Pocket  and  the  Stud"  p.  91. 

The  limited  accommodations  of  the  average  city  and  coun- 
try stable  have  resulted  in  the  habit  of  horses  being  groomed 
in  their  stalls  or  in  the  passageway  at  the  rear.  Practically 
considered  this  is  very  much  like  having  carpets  or  rugs 
beaten  in  the  living  rooms  of  a  dwelling.  Whatever  dirt  is 
removed  from  the  horse's  coat  lodges  on  the  blankets  and 
exposed  parts  of  the  other  horses,  and  a  part  is  taken  into 
the  lungs  of  both  man  and  beast.  For  this  reason  when- 
ever it  is  possible  the  grooming  should  be  done  in  another 
part  of  the  stable  or  in  the  open  air. 

STOPPING    THE    FEET,    ETC. 

In  consequence  of  the  feet  becoming  unnaturally  hard 
as  a  result  of  the  horse  being  stood  on  flooring  which  lacks 
the  cooling  and  softening  qualities  of  earth,  the  custom 
has  developed  of  keeping  the  feet  in  a  good  condition  by 
applying  moisture  in  various  forms.  When  this  is  done 
in  moderation  and  in  a  proper  manner  much  benefit  is 
derived;  but  when  ignorance  and  senseless  tradition  rule 
supreme  much  more  harm  than  good  results.  In  the  first 
place  the  horn  of  the  hoof  should  not  be  kept  so  wet  as  to 
stimulate  a  rapid  and  unsound  growth  or  to  an  extent  that 
renders  the  existing  growth  weak.  The  horse's  foot,  kept 
in  a  constant  state  of  dampness,  rots  and  decays.  The 
other  point  on  which  stablemen  frequently  err  is  in  the  use 
of  such  filthy  substances  as  cow  dung,  etc.,  for  softening  the 


432  BANDAGES. 

feet.  The  cleanest  and  most  simple  substances,  all  of  the 
properties  of  which  are  known,  should  alone  be  used.  Blue 
clay,  peat  moss  or  a  felt  swab  are  excellent  agents  for  the 
conveyance  of  moisture. 

BANDAGES. 

Bandages  are  of  several  kinds  and  are  used  for  various 
purposes.  The  method  of  putting  them  on  depends  upon 
the  effect  desired.  The  material  of  which  bandages  are 
made  should  be  about  eight  feet  long  and  four  inches  wide. 
At  one  end  the  corners  should  be  turned  in,  forming  a  V  to 
which  the  tapes  are  sewed.  It  is  generally  conceded  by 
horse  owners  of  experience  that  under  ordinary  circum- 
stances hand  rubbing  or  the  application  of  cold  water  from 
a  hose  is  more  beneficial  than  the  use  of  bandages.  This 
verdict  is  in  a  large  measure  due  to  the  fact  that  in  many 
instances  hand  rubbing  or  the  strengthening  and  refreshing 
effects  of  a  cold  douche  is  productive  of  the  best  results, 
and  when  misapplied  the  consequent  harm  is  not  so  great 
as  if  warm  bandages  are  used  when  cold  ones  are  needed  or 
vice  versa.  The  misuse  of  bandages  is  so  general,  owing  to 
the  ignorance  of  the  effects  produced  by  the  materials  used, 
that  aside  from  indicating  the  bestowal  of  some  attention, 
the  average  horse  would  fare  better  if  the  care  of  the  legs 
was  limited  to  hand  rubbing.  In  fact,  many  horses  in  time 
grow  dependent  upon  the  effects  produced  by  bandages,  for 
which  effects  at  the  outset  there  was  no  need. 

FLANNEL    BANDAGES. 

Flannel  bandages  are  used  to  increase  or  stimulate  the 
circulation,  and  hence  are  employed  under  the  following  cir- 


LINEN  BANDAGES.  433 

cumstances:  first,  when  the  horse  is  chilled  or  his  vitality 
has  become  impaired  by  sickness ;  second,  for  the  purpose 
of  removing  any  pufHness  about  the  legs ;  and  third,  in  con- 
sequence of  the  fact  that  flannel  readily  absorbs  moisture, 
such  bandages  are  used  by  servants  who,  after  washing  a 
horse's  legs,  either  do  not  care  to  take  the  trouble  of  drying 
them  thoroughly  or  who  take  the  additional  precaution  of 
applying  the  bandages  for  the  purpose  of  removing  any 
moisture  which  the  rubber  has  not  absorbed  in  drying  the 
legs.  Flannel  bandages  are  generally  used  dry  and  should 
be  wrapped  loosely  about  the  legs  in  order  to  prevent  any 
interference  with  the  circulation.  With  a  view  to  securing 
a  proper  amount  of  looseness,  the  legs  are  often  first  wrapped 
in  a  straw  or  hay  rope  bandage  or  strands  of  hay  or  straw 
are  placed  between  the  folds.  When  desiring  to  apply  a 
more  active  fomentation  to  the  legs  than  is  set  up  by  the 
dry  bandage,  the  flannel  should  be  first  soaked  in  water  as 
hot  as  the  hand  can  bear  it  (about  one  hundred  and  six  de- 
grees) and  a  dry  bandage  or  piece  of  oil  silk  applied  over 
the  wet  one. 

LINEN    BANDAGES. 

Linen  bandages  should  be  used  to  the  exclusion  of  those 
made  of  flannel  to  afford  support  or  to  apply  lotions  to  the 
horse's  legs.  When  applied  as  supports  bandages  should 
always  be  tightly  bound ;  and  as  lotions  are  generally  used 
for  the  purpose  of  strengthening  the  tendons,  linen  band- 
ages should  under  almost  all  circumstances  be  firmly  bound. 
Unless  the  inflammation  or  soreness  is  somewhat  severe,  the 
use  of  dry  linen  bandages  will  be  found  sufficient ;  but  when 
the  trouble  is  of  a  more  serious  nature  or  to  effect  immediate 


434  LOTIONS  AND  BANDAGES. 

relief,  the  use  of  one  of  the  lotions  named  below  will  be 
found  necessary.  A  very  good  intermediate  application  may 
be  had  in  the  form  of  a  cold  water  bandage.  When  lini- 
ments are  used  it  will  be  found  advantageous  to  cover  the 
under  bandage  with  a  dry  one  in  order  to  prevent  evapora- 
tion. If,  however,  the  object  is  wholly  or  in  part  to  convey 
coldness  to  the  legs,  the  wet  bandage  should  not  be  covered, 
as  the  evaporation  which  takes  place  is  a  cooling  agent  as 
well.  All  wet  bandages  should  be  kept  moistened  or  be 
removed  before  they  become  dry. 

CHAMOIS    BANDAGES 

Chamois  bandages  are  often  preferred  to  linen  ones  for 
the  application  of  lotions,  as  the  skin  when  saturated  holds 
the  moisture  longer. 

LOTIONS. 
Witch-hazel.  Witch-hazel,  Cold  water, 

Vinegar,  Sal  ammoniac. 

Sal  ammoniac. 

Spirits  of  wine,          Cold  water,  Cracked   ice    used 

Witch-hazel,  Salt.  as  a  refrigerant 

Vinegar.  with  any  of  the 

foregoing. 

Water,  Tincture  of  arnica,  Nitre, 

Sugar  of  lead.  Water.  Water. 

Muriate  of  ammonia,  Acetate  of  zinc, 

Water.  Sulphate  of  zinc, 

Rain  water. 

COTTON    WOOL    BANDAGES. 

Cotton  wool  bandages  are  chiefly  employed  to  apply 
more  heat  to  the  legs  than  is  afforded  by  flannel  bandages 


METHOD  OF  APPLYING  BANDAGES.  435 

and  less  than  results  from  the  use  of  hot  bandages  or  other 
forms  of  fomentations.  Owing  to  the  perishable  and  com- 
paratively costly  nature  of  the  cotton  wool,  its  use  is  gener- 
ally limited  to  horses  for  show  or  racing  purposes,  or  to 
valuable  horses  in  a  time  of  sickness. 

STRAW    BANDAGES. 

Straw  or  hay  bandages  are  chiefly  used  in  cases  of  emer- 
gency, when  flannel  ones  are  not  at  hand.  When  well  made 
and  properly  applied,  such  an  improvised  bandage  forms  a 
very  excellent  substitute.  The  straw  or  hay  should  be 
twisted  into  a  rope  about  two  inches  thick  and  about  seven 
feet  and  a  half  long. 

METHOD    OF   APPLYING    BANDAGES 

The  bandages  should  be  undone  for  six 
or  eight  inches  and  the  outer  face  of  the  roll 
placed  against  the  outside  of  the  canon 
bone,  near  the  fetlock  (see  Fig.  211),  and 
held  there  by  the  thumb  and  forefinger  of 
the  right  hand.  The  loose  end  should  then 
be  carried  around  the  back  of  the  leg  to  the  FIG-  2I1* 
right  by  the  left  hand  and  the  end  slipped  under  the  roll 
which  is  still  held  by  the  right  hand  ;  at  the  same  time 
the  roll  should  be  drawn  to  the  right  until  all  the  slack  is 
taken  up.  The  end  being  secured,  the  roll  should  be  pushed 
with  the  palm  of  the  right  hand  inward  and  around  the 
inside  of  the  leg  until  it  can  be  reached  by  the  fingers  of  the 
left  hand,  from  which  it  is  passed  into  the  palm  of  the  right 
hand  as  the  roll  is  brought  to  the  front  of  the  leg.  First  the 
lower  part  of  the  leg  and  the  fetlock  are  covered  by  repeating 


436  METHOD  OF  APPLYING  BANDAGES. 

this  movement  in  a  downward  spiral  direction,  then  the  roll 
is  carried  upward  in  the  same  manner  to  within  a  few  inches 
of  the  knee,  thence  downward  again  as  far  as  the  length  of 
the  bandage  will  admit.  Each  succeeding  fold  should  over- 
lap the  former  one  by  about  an  inch.  The  tapes  or  strings 
which  appear  at  the  end  of  the  roll  should  be  firmly  but  not 
tightly  bound  around  the  leg  and  tied  in  a  slip-knot  on  the 
flat  outward  side  of  the  leg. 

Care  must  be  taken  to  apply  the  bandage  so  that  the 
pressure  will  be  even.  The  servant  should  be  made  to 
realize  that  considerable  judgment  and  dexterity  are  required 
to  render  the  pressure  uniform  in  consequence  of  the  fact 
that  each  succeeding  fold  tightens  the  one  lying  beneath  it. 
When  it  is  necessary  to  put  bandages  on  loosely,  the  end 
lying  beneath  the  folds  may  be  firmly  secured  by  laying  the 
end  diagonally  across  the  upper  part  of  the  canon  bone  in 
such  a  manner  that  the  end  will  extend  beyond  the  leg 
toward  the  body  of  the  horse  for  five  or  six  inches.  The  roll 
is  carried  down  around  the  fetlock  and  up  again,  as  described 
in  the  foregoing  paragraph.  The  loose  end  is  turned  down 
against  the  outside  of  the  leg  and  covered  by  the  roll  as  the 
latter  is  brought  up.  When  bandages  are  to  be  used  on 
horses  in  work,  the  end  should  be  laid  diagonally  across  the 
fetlock,  the  end  toward  the  heel.  The  roll  is  then  carried  up 
to  the  knee,  and  as  it  is  brought  down,  the  loose  end  is  held 
up  against  the  outside  of  the  leg  and  is  bound  between  the 
upward  and  downward  folds.  The  fetlock  should  not  be 
covered  if  the  horse  is  to  be  worked.  Many  fatal  accidents 
have  occurred  in  consequence  of  the  ends  of  bandages  being 
improperly  secured. 


THE  CARE  OF  BANDAGES  AND  HAND  RUBBING.     437 
THE    CARE    OF    BANDAGES. 

All  bandages  should  be  kept  rolled  up  ready  for  immedi- 
ate use.  In  rolling  them  up,  the  ends  to  which  the  tapes 
are  fastened  should  be  turned  over  toward  the  side  of  the 
material  on  which  the  tapes  are  sewed,  and  form  the  core  or 
centre  of  the  bandage.  After  the  roll  has  been  started,  it 
should  be  turned  by  the  thumb  and  forefinger  of  both  hands, 
turning  the  bandage  away  from  the  body.  From  time  to 
time  the  material  may  be  drawn  tight  by  placing  the  foot  on 
the  part  which  falls  to  the  ground.  Bandages  should  never 
be  put  away  wet  or  dirty.  If  lotions  have  been  used,  the 
bandages  should  be  washed,  rinsed  and  thoroughly  dried, 
either  in  the  open  air  or  before  the  fire. 

HAND    RUBBING. 

"  After  a  day  of  severe  and  protracted  exertion,  gentle  and  frequent 
friction  is  very  useful  for  restoring  the  legs  and  for  preventing  the  cold 
swelling  to  which  the  legs  of  many  horses  are  liable  after  work,  but  it  is 
improper  where  there  is  any  swelling  hot  and  painful.  The  hind  always  require 
more  than  the  fore  legs.  The  friction  seldom  requires  to  be  carried  higher 
than  the  hock  or  knee-joints." 

"  Cold-blooded,  long-legged  horses  are  troubled  with  cold  legs  while 
standing  in  the  stall.  It  is  difficult  to  avoid  them  altogether  among  horses 
that  are  not  in  good  condition,  loaded  with  fat  or  plethoric ;  yet  frequent 
hand  rubbing  does  much.  Some  grooms  give  it  five  or  six  times  a  day ;  so 
much  is  seldom  required,  indeed  never,  except  under  disease  ;  but  it  does  no 
harm  that  I  know  of,  if  it  does  not  make  the  heels  too  bare.  To  be  of  any 
use  it  must  be  done  in  a  systematic  manner  and  in  good  earnest.  If  the 
horse  be  perfectly  quiet,  the  man  will  sit  down  on  his  knees,  and  with  a 
small  soft  or  cloth  rubber  in  each  hand,  he  will  rub  upward  and  downward, 
or  he  will  use  his  hands  without  the  wisp,  particularly  if  the  hair  be  short 
and  fine.  Much  force  is  not  necessary ;  indeed,  it  is  pernicious.  In  coming 
down  the  leg  the  pressure  should  be  light,  and  in  passing  upward  it  must  not 


438      HOT  AND  COLD  APPLICATIONS  AND  SHOEING. 

be  so  great  as  to  raise  or  break  the  hairs."  — John  Stewart,  "  Stable  Econ- 
omy" p.  118. 

HOT    AND    COLD    APPLICATIONS. 

"  Hot  water  makes  the  best  fomentation,  and  is  only  open  to  the  objec- 
tion that  its  use  demands  from  servants  an  amount  of  time  and  trouble 
which  they  are  not  very  willing  to  give,  unless  closely  superintended. 

"  Fomentations,  to  be  really  useful,  should  be  continued  for  at  least  one 
or  two  hours  at  a  time.  The  temperature  of  the  water  should  not  exceed 
1 06  degrees,  or  hardly  as  hot  as  the  hand  can  comfortably  bear.  The  tem- 
perature must  be  kept  up  to  this  point  by  the  frequent  addition  of  small 
quantities  of  hot  water. 

"  Cold  water  bathing  of  the  legs  is  in  many  cases  beneficial.  The  cold 
gives  tone  to  and  braces  up  the  structures,  which  may  have  become  weak  or 
deficient  in  vital  energy.  The  value  of  cold  as  a  tonic  has  not  been,  we 
think,  sufficiently  appreciated  in  such  cases.  A  good  jet  for  this  purpose 
may  be  made  by  attaching  a  gutta-percha  or  rubber  tube  to  the  ordinary 
water-cock.  If  the  necessary  appliances  are  not  available,  an  ordinary 
watering-pot  with  a  rose  will  answer  the  purpose  fairly  well.  In  cases  of 
sprain  of  the  tendons  or  ligaments  below  the  knee  or  hock  .  .  .  water 
may  be  allowed  to  trickle  for  two  hours  at  a  time  twice  or  three  times  dur- 
ing the  day.  If  the  weather  be  cold  the  water  may  be  made  slightly  tepid. 
When  a  force  of  water  from  a  jet  or  hose  is  used,  the  application  should 
never  be  continued  for  more  than  a  few  moments  at  a  time.  In  both  cases 
the  part  must  be  afterwards  dried  and  bandaged."  —  Sir  F.  Fitzwygram, 
"  Horses  and  Stables"  p.  96  et  seq. 

SHOEING. 

The  art  of  properly  making  and  applying  shoes  to  the 
horse's  feet  is  neither  so  difficult  in  its  practical  operation 
nor  so  confusing  a  subject  theoretically  considered,  providing 
the  attempt  to  offset  physical  defects  is  eliminated.  Un- 
fortunately the  horse's  foot  is  one  of  his  most  vulnerable 
points,  and  in  consequence  the  farriers  have  become  ex- 
perimental practitioners  in  the  veterinary  science  so  far  as  it 


COST  OF  SHOEING.  439 

relates  to  the  horse's  foot.  Many  of  them  are  men  ignorant  of 
the  delicate  anatomy  comprising  these  extremities,  and  take 
upon  themselves  the  responsibility  of  applying  remedies  for 
a  defect  which  seems  to  them  similar  to  one  they  have  seen 
or  heard  treated  of  with  good  results.  The  cause  and  seat 
of  the  trouble  are  matters  of  indifference,  and  like  all  wise- 
acres they  refuse  to  use  the  little  common  sense  that  was 
given  to  them  and  jump  at  conclusions  which  are  in  most 
cases  wrong.  If  their  experiment  fails  the  defect  is  pro- 
nounced incurable,  but  if  by  chance  the  animal  is  afforded 
temporary  or  lasting  relief  the  veterinary  quack's  confidence 
in  his  ability  to  treat  any  defects  of  the  feet  is  still  further 
strengthened.  It  is  not  the  writer's  intention  to  convey  the 
impression  that  the  opinions  of  all  farriers  are  to  be  dis- 
trusted. There  are  some  intelligent,  practical  men  whose 
advice  is  worthy  of  much  consideration,  but  they  are  unfortu- 
nately in  the  minority. 

Authorities  differ  but  little  in  their  advice  regarding  the 
shoeing  of  a  well-formed,  sound  animal.  If  the  reader's 
horse  does  not  go  well  when  shod,  according  to  the  principle 
set  forth  by  such  well-known  authorities  as  are  here  cited, 
and  the  attempts  of  a  reliable  veterinary  to  counteract  the 
defect  by  a  special  form  of  shoe  results  unfavorably,  the  owner 
is  advised  to  dispose  of  the  animal  rather  than  make  the 
poor  beast  a  subject  for  experiment  with  one  blacksmith  after 
the  other.  If  the  physical  defect  is  serious,  the  horse  cannot 
be  made  sound  by  any  ingenuity  on  the  part  of  the  farrier. 

COST    OF    SHOEING. 

The  actual  cost  to  the  farrier  of  removing  old  shoes  and 
putting  on  a  set  of  ordinary  iron  new  ones  is  about  one 


440  COST  OF  SHOEING. 

dollar.  For  this  work  it  is  customary  to  charge  from  two 
dollars  and  a  half  to  four  dollars.  Part  of  this  charge  is 
made  to  defray  rent,  taxes,  etc.,  and  periods  of  enforced  idle- 
ness, and  part,  a  considerable  part,  is  used  by  many  farriers 
to  obtain  and  retain  the  patronage  of  the  head  servant.  Re- 
garding the  matter  of  commission,  the  writer  has  taken  the 
liberty  to  quote  an  article  which  appeared  in  The  Turf, 
Field  and  Farm  in  the  issue  of  the  25th  of  June,  1897: 

"  Not  as  many  people  are  using  carriage  horses  as  when  the  times  were 
good,  and  the  coachman  who  wants  to  keep  his  employer  in  a  cheerful 
frame  of  mind  will  not  add  to  the  expense  account  by  devious  ways.  A 
veterinary  surgeon,  who  has  been  behind  the  scenes,  writes  a  letter  to  the 
London  Field  from  which  we  extract : 

" '  The  gentleman's  servant  has  but  a  single  lesson  to  receive  in  what 
he  calls  "  discount,"  and  ever  afterward  bleeds  all  with  whom  he  comes  in 
contact  or  else  withdraws  his  patronage.  Please  mark  the  fact  that  it  is 
his  and  not  his  master's  patronage ;  the  latter  only  writes  the  checks,  all 
else  is  in  the  hands  of  the  coachman  or  stud  groom.  Few  readers  of  the 
Field  wti\  attribute  any  share  of  the  late  farriers'  strike  to  the  coachmen, 
but  I  could  easily  prove  to  your  entire  satisfaction,  Mr.  Editor,  that  a  sum 
of  is.  on  each  set  of  shoes  is  the  minimum  which  any  West  End  coachman 
would  accept,  in  addition  to  ten  per  cent  on  the  account  when  paid.  The 
more  respectable  farriers  and  veterinary  surgeons  decline  to  go  further  than 
this ;  but  the  majority  of  men  who  carry  on  shoeing  forges  are  compelled 
to  book  shoes  that  are  never  supplied,  and  divide  the  plunder  with  the 
coachman.  Many  horses  keep  on  their  shoes  too  long,  and  thereby  induce 
corns,  while  the  owner  is  charged  with  a  new  set  every  three  weeks  and  re- 
moves once  a  fortnight. 

"  *  There  are  master  farriers  who  will  give  one  or  two  sovereigns  for  a 
coachman's  promise  to  have  his  horses  shod  at  the  said  farrier's  forge  next 
season.  Some  of  the  largest  businesses  have  been  built  up  on  this  system, 
and  the  account  is  "  arranged  "  between  the  coachman  and  the  foreman,  or 
master  of  the  forge. 

" '  The  farriers  work  hard  and  earn  really  good  wages,  but  knowing  how 


COST  OF  SHOEING.  441 

easily  the  horse  owners  are  robbed,  they  desire  a  greater  share  in  the 
plunder,  and  see  no  reason  why  yet  another  shilling  should  not  be  imposed, 
and  this  time  for  the  benefit  of  the  men  who  actually  do  the  work.  While  the 
veterinary  profession  has  been  struggling  for  a  social  status  to  the  extent 
of  forbidding  the  most  innocent  form  of  advertisement,  many  of  its  mem- 
bers keep  shoeing  forges  in  London  where  the  most  flagrant  dishonesty  is 
practised.  If  that  profession  is  really  to  be  elevated  there  must  be  a  total 
divorce  from  the  forge. 

"  '  Owners  will  not  be  troubled  with  details ;  they  do  not  occasionally 
check  the  account  or  notice  the  shoes.  In  vain  do  men  like  Captain  Hayes 
write  practical  works  for  horse  owners,  who  will  accept  no  bother.  The 
average  gentleman  roughly  estimates  so  much  a  year  for  the  stables,  and,  if 
it  is  not  largely  exceeded,  is  content  to  shut  his  eyes  to  habitual  robbery 
until  some  of  his  rogues  fall  out  and  in  unguarded  moments  speak  the  truth.' 

"The  editor  of  the  Field  makes  this  letter  the  subject  of  a  leading 
article  : 

" '  When  the  horse  owner  comes  to  realize  that  his  coachman  makes  a 
demand  for  a  sum  on  each  shoeing  transaction  equal  to  about  twenty  per 
cent  of  the  bill  and  claims  another  ten  per  cent  on  the  account,  it  is  surely 
time  that  some  notice  were  taken  of  the  matter.  It  is  an  unfortunate  fact 
that  what  are  called  "  upper  servants"  not  only  expect  but  demand  com- 
mission. The  lady's  maid  harries  the  dressmaker ;  the  cook  demands  what 
she  is  pleased  to  term  her  rights  of  all  the  purveyors  of  comestibles ;  the 
butler  looks  to  the  wine  merchant  and  makes  a  tidy  percentage  out  of  the 
stationery  which  in  many  cases  he  supplies  to  the  house.  Writing  paper 
and  stamping  are  marvellously  cheap  nowadays,  and  the  price  the  butler 
puts  down  in  his  book  and  the  sum  he  actually  pays  do  not  tally  by  a  long 
way.  Of  all  servants,  however,  none  are  more  rapacious,  or,  not  to  blink 
the  matter,  the  most  dishonest,  than  stable  servants.  So  long  as  matters 
are  left  in  the  hands  of  the  average  coachman  —  there  are  individual  excep- 
tions, we  know  —  he  insists  on  a  money  payment  in  accordance  with  his 
own  scale  for  everything  coming  into  the  stable  or  coach  house.  Neither  a 
carriage,  horse,  set  of  harness  nor  stable  utensils  or  "  tools  "  can  be  bought 
without  the  coachman  desiring,  nay,  insisting,  on  "  standing  in."  There  is 
not  a  saddler  or  harness  maker  in  London  or  the  provinces,  not  a  corn  mer- 
chant, job  master,  and,  according  to  our  correspondent,  not  a  veterinary 


442  COST  OF  SHOEING. 

surgeon  who  has  a  forge  who  could  not  tell  how,  in  connection  with  large 
establishments,  this  system  of  blackmailing  holds  sway,  and  it  must  be 
admitted  that  masters  by  the  line  they  adopt  play  too  well  into  their  ser- 
vants' hands.  It  certainly  would  appear  that  a  good  many  of  those  who 
own  horses  have  absolutely  no  knowledge  of  horses,  their  ways  or  treatment, 
since  they  leave  everything,  big  and  little,  to  their  coachmen  and  grooms. 
If  they  want  to  buy  or  job  a  horse  or  carriage,  it  is  the  coachman  who  is 
sent  to  make  arrangements  and  give  his  opinion.  This,  of  course,  gives  the 
man  the  opportunity  of  making  his  own  terms,  and  if  those  offered  do  not 
suit  he  can  easily  find  an  excuse  for  recommending  his  master,  or  rather 
his  employer,  for  he,  the  coachman,  is  master,  to  deal  elsewhere. 

"  '  Assuming  that  our  correspondent,  "  A  Veterinary  Surgeon,"  is  right  in 
his  facts,  the  coachmen  of  whom  he  complains  do  not  stop  short  at  robbery, 
for  their  blackmail  is  nothing  else,  but  they  commit  a  wrong  against  the 
horses  and  their  owner.  Every  one  who  has  to  do  with  horses  knows  quite 
well  that,  whatever  be  the  state  of  the  shoes,  they  should  not  go  more  than  a 
fortnight,  or  at  the  most,  three  weeks,  without  being  removed,  otherwise  the 
foot,  by  the  growth  of  horn,  becomes  too  big  for  the  shoe.  Yet  these 
removes,  says  our  correspondent,  though  charged  for,  are  not  made,  and 
then  some  fine  day  corns  appear,  or  lameness  of  another  kind  sets  in.  On 
reference  to  his  letter  it  will  be  seen  that  "A  Veterinary  Surgeon"  alleges 
that  not  unconnected  with  the  late  futile  strike  of  the  farriers  is  this  demand 
by  the  coachmen  of  a  shilling  for  every  set  of  shoes  supplied.  He  says  that 
the  men  who  do  the  work,  knowing  what  goes  on  in  the  way  of  backsheesh 
by  the  coachmen  and  charging  for  work  which  is  not  executed  by  the 
employers  of  the  workmen,  want  to  participate  in  the  plunder,  and  wished 
the  master  to  charge  another  shilling  a  set  for  their  benefit.  We  never 
heard  that  this  was  even  hinted  at  by  the  strikers ;  but  if  it  really  had  any- 
thing to  do  with  it,  then  all  that  can  be  said  is  that  it  is  ten  thousand  pities 
the  fact  was  not  published  to  the  world  broadcast.  If  horse  owners  could 
have  been  made  to  understand  that  their  own  coachmen  were  actually  at  the 
bottom  of  the  strike,  they  might  then  have  felt  inclined  to  bestir  them- 
selves. Of  all  the  people  who  are  necessary  to  a  stable,  the  farrier  is  the 
most  important.  "No  foot,  no  horse,"  is  as  true  now  as  the  day  when  it  was 
first  coined,  and  the  foot  and  the  stomach  of  a  horse  are  just  about  the  last 
two  things  a  coachman  should  seek  to  make  money  out  of.  Master  farriers 


COST  OF  SHOEING.  443 

and  veterinary  surgeons  with  a  forge  are  among  the  persons  who  must  please 
to  live ;  but  it  certainly  does  seem  curious  that  years  and  years  should  pass 
without  one  independent  man  putting  his  foot  down  and  availing  himself  of 
a  splendid  advertisement.  Supineness  on  the  masters'  part  is  doubtless  the 
real  reason  why  the  blackmailing  system  has  so  singularly  flourished  for  so 
long  a  time.' 

"A  few  days  ago  we  received  from  a  well-known  farrier  in  this  city  a 
circular  which  he  has  mailed  to  a  large  number  of  gentlemen  who  maintain 
carriage  stables : 

"  'For  the  past  few  years  gentlemen's  coachmen  and  grooms  have  been 
demanding  and  receiving  of  horseshoers  in  this  city  a  commission  upon  all 
work  done  for  their  masters  in  shoeing  coach  and  road  horses. 
The  following  have  been  the  rates  charged  for  shoeing  road  horses,         $3.50 
Out  of  which  groom  receives  a  commission i  .00 


Leaving  amount  actually  paid  shoer     .         .         .         .         .         .         $2.50 

For  shoeing  pair  coach  horses     . $7.00 

Out  of  which  coachman  receives  a  commission  of  2.00 


Leaving  amount  actually  paid  shoer     ......         $5.00 

Some  coachmen  requiring  shoers  to  make  bill  monthly  for  reset- 
ting, all  of  which  is  paid  coachman          .....         $4.00 

The  price  now  paid  for  shoeing  pair  horses  with  pads  is         .         .       $17.00 
Out  of  which  the  coachman  demands  and  receives  from       .       5.00  to  6.00 


Leaving  actual  amount  paid  shoer $n.oo 

"  'This  commission  has  been  exacted  and  we  have  been  compelled  to 
pay  it  to  retain  our  trade. 

"'I  have  been  twenty  years  engaged  as  a  journeyman,  receiving  the 
largest  wages  paid  any  journeyman  in  this  city. 

"  '  I  propose  to  shoe  your  horses  at  following  rates  : 

Single  horse,  new  set  shoes $2.50 

Single  horse,  new  set  shoes  with  pads 5.50 

Pair  coach  horses,  new  set  shoes 5.00 

Pair  coach  horses,  new  set  shoes  with  pads           ....         11.00 
Resetting  each  horse 1.50 


444  PREPARING  THE  HOOF. 

" '  I  employ  none  but  union  men,  and  guarantee  work  the  best  and 
material  used  the  best  in  the  market.  By  sending  your  horses  to  me  you 
will  save  in  commissions,  now  generally  paid  to  coachmen  and  grooms, 
about  $72  per  year  on  the  shoeing  of  each  pair  of  horses.' 

"  We  are  told  that  when  coachmen  were  informed  of  the  contents  of 
this  circular,  threats  were  made  to  do  the  farrier  personal  injury,  and  he  was 
compelled  to  take  steps  to  protect  himself  from  assault.  The  coachmen 
who  were  refused  gratuities  nearly  destroyed  the  business  of  the  farrier  by 
taking  the  horses  of  their  masters  to  other  establishments,  but  now  the  shop 
of  the  plucky  farrier  is  overrun  with  business,  because  scores  of  gentlemen, 
as  soon  as  they  had  knowledge  of  the  facts,  refused  to  be  bled  any  longer 
by  their  servants.  The  coachman  is  an  important  factor  in  every  well 
regulated  domestic  establishment,  and  he  should  make  it  his  first  duty  to 
protect  the  interests  of  the  man  who  gives  him  congenial  employment. 
When  he  imposes  on  good  nature  by  levying  tribute  in  all  directions,  which 
tribute  comes  from  the  pocket  of  the  man  who  pays  him  his  wages,  he 
is  doing  everything  in  his  power  to  restrict  the  use  of  horses.  A  never-end- 
ing train  of  petty  annoyances,  in  addition  to  the  expense,  is  the  cause  of 
many  men  giving  up  their  stables." 

REMOVAL    OF    OLD    SHOES. 

"The  clenches  should  be  cut  carefully  without  injury  to  the  crust,  and 
then  each  nail  should  be  drawn  separately.  Much  damage  is  often  done 
to  the  crust  by  neglect  of  these  simple  precautions.  It  takes  very  little 
time  to  remove  an  old  shoe  properly,  and  there  is  really  no  excuse  for  the 
hurried  and  violent  manner  in  which  this  operation  is  too  often  per- 
formed." —  Sir  F.  Fitzwygram,  "  Horses  and  Stables"  p.  435. 

PREPARING   THE    HOOF. 

"  To  remove  the  excessive  growth  of  the  wall  is  an  absolute  necessity ; 
but  to  denude  the  sole  of  its  horn  is  wanton  injury  to  the  foot  and  cruelty 
to  the  animal. 

"  The  longer  the  frog  is  left  untouched  by  the  knife,  and  allowed  to 
meet  the  ground,  the  more  developed  it  becomes,  its  horn  grows  so  dense 
and  resisting,  yet  without  losing  its  special  properties,  that  it  braves  the 
crushing  of  the  roughest  roads  without  suffering  in  the  slightest  degree ;  it 


THE   WEIGHT  OF  SHOES.  445 

insures  the  hoof  retaining  its  proper  shape  at  the  heels ;  is  a  valuable  sup- 
porter of  the  limb  and  foot  while  the  animal  is  standing  or  moving ;  and  is 
an  active  agent,  from  its  shape  and  texture,  in  preventing  slipping. 

"  Opening  up  the  heels.  This  operation  is  quite  as  injurious,  if  it  is  not 
more  so,  than  mutilating  the  sole  and  frog.  .  .  .  When  it  is  hacked  away 
by  the  farrier's  knife,  the  wall  of  the  hoof  is  not  only  considerably  weak- 
ened, but  the  hoof  gradually  contracts  toward  the  heels."  —  G.  Fleming, 
" Practical  Horseshoeing"  p.  46  et  seq. 

"The  bars  demand  no  especial  treatment  except  to  be  let  alone.  If  let 
alone  they  will  perform  their  duties  efficiently  and  well."  —  Sir  F.  Fitzwy- 
gram,  "  Horses  and  Stables"  p.  475. 

"  Provided  the  hoof,  before  it  comes  into  the  hands  of  the  farrier,  has 
the  proper  inclination  and  is  equal  on  both  sides  of  its  ground-face,  but  is 
nevertheless  overgrown,  the  artisan  has  then  only  to  remove  the  excess  of 
growth  without  disturbing  the  relations  between  the  several  regions  of  the 
wall.  Or  should  the  hoof  be  overgrown,  too  oblique,  too  upright,  or  unequal 
at  the  sides,  then  in  remedying  the  one  defect  he  at  the  same  time  remedies 
all.  The  amount  of  horn  to  be  removed  from  the  margin  of  the  hoof  will 
depend  upon  circumstances.  It  may  be  laid  down  as  a  rule,  however,  that 
there  being  but  little  horn  to  remove  at  the  heels,  these  should  only  be 
rasped  sufficiently  to  insure  the  removal  of  all  loose  material  incapable  of 
supporting  the  shoe ;  the  quarters  or  sides  of  the  hoof  may  require  a  freer 
application  of  the  rasp,  but  as  the  toe  is  reached,  a  larger  quantity  must  be 
removed.  The  limit  to  this  removal  at  the  front  of  the  hoof  must  be  when 
the  wall  is  almost  or  quite  reduced  to  a  level  with  the  strong  impaired  sole. 
It  must  ever  be  borne  in  mind  that,  if  the  wall  does  not  stand  beyond  the 
level  of  the  sole,  it  does  not  require  reducing." — G.  Fleming,  "Practical 
Horseshoeing" p.  44. 

THE    WEIGHT    OF    SHOES 

"  The  growth  of  the  foot  renders  it  necessary  that  the  shoe  should  be 
refitted  at  the  end  of  a  month.  .  .  . 

"  Prima  facie,  therefore,  shoes  should  be  as  thin  as  is  compatible  with 
their  wearing  for  a  month.  But  practically  there  should  be  a  week's  wear 
to  spare  at  the  end  of  the  month,  both  because  it  is  not  always  convenient 
to  send  a  horse  to  be  shod  on  any  particular  day,  and  because  it  would  be 


446 


THE   WIDTH  OF  SHOES. 


inconvenient  to  be  liable  to  the  risk  of  a  shoe  breaking,  if  the  owner  hap- 
pened to  take  an  extra  long  ride  towards  the  end  of  the  month.  .  .  . 

"  Nine  ounces  may  be  taken  as  the  minimum,  and  fourteen  ounces  as 
the  maximum  for  ordinary  riding  horses."  —  Sir  F.  Fitzwygram,  "Horses 
and  Stables"  p.  482. 

THE    WIDTH    OF    SHOES. 

"  For  ordinary  riding  horses,  hunters  and  carriage  horses  it  is  usual  to 
make  the  shoe  about  one  inch  wide.  I  believe  that  three-quarters  of  an 
inch  is  sufficient. 

"  There  are,  however,  some  points  of  difference  between  the  hind  and 
fore  feet.  The  crust  or  wall  of  the  hind  foot  is  more  upright  than  that  of 


FIG.  212. 


FIG.    213. 


fore  foot.  It  is  also  thinner,  /.  e.,  narrower.  The  web  of  the  shoe  must  also 
be  narrower.  It  should  not  much  exceed  half  an  inch,  which  is  the  width 
of  the  crust. 

"  The  upper  surface  of  the  shoe  should  be  flat  so  that  it  may  rest  on  the 
whole  surface  of  the  crust.  .  .  .  The  under  or  ground  surface  should  be 
concave.  A  concave  ground  surface  has  a  great  practical  advantage,  inas- 
much as  the  shoe  gets  a  much  greater  hold  on  the  ground,  and  the  horse 
is  therefore  less  liable  to  slip  or  pick  up  stones."  —  Sir  F.  Fitzwygramy 
"  Horses  and  Stables,"  p.  482. 


CLIPS  AND  CALKINGS,  NAIL-HOLES,  ETC.  447 

THE    LENGTH    OF    SHOES. 

"  The  length  of  the  shoe  is  determined  by  the  length  of  the  crust.  .  .  . 
An  objection  is  sometimes  raised  to  fore  shoes  being  made  the  full  length 
of  the  crust,  on  account  of  a  fear  lest  the  hind  shoes  should  catch  in  them. 
This  accident,  however,  is  not  likely  to  occur  where  the  shoes  are  not  longer 
than  the  crust.  The  possibility  of  it  will  be  prevented  by  sloping  off  the 
heels  of  the  fore  hoes  in  the  direction  of  the  fibres  of  the  crust,  and  again 
by  sloping  off  the  inner  or  posterior  edge  of  the  toe  of  the  hind  shoes."  — 
Sir  F.  Fitzwygram,  "  Horses  and  Stables"  p.  484. 

CLIPS    AND    CALKINGS. 

"  For  carriage  and  saddle  horses  and  hunters,  each  fore  and  hind  shoe 
should  have  a  clip  drawn  up  at  the  middle  of  the  toe,  except  in  special 
cases,  as  when  the  horse  overreaches,  or,  from  being  required  to  jump  or  any 
other  cause,  is  likely  to  strike  any  part  of  the  back  of  the  fore  legs ;  in  which 
case  he  hind  shoes  require  to  have  a  clip  at  each  side  of  the  toe ;  none  in 
the  middle."  —  G.  Fleming,  "  Practical  Horseshoeing"  p.  69. 

"  Calkings  [heels],  though  sometimes  necessary,  are  in  all  cases  more 
or  less  of  an  evil.  They  are  not  really  required  for  ordinary  riding  or 
driving.  Calkings  are  utterly  inadmissible  on  the  fore  feet."  —  Sir  F. 
Fitzwygram,  "  Horses  and  Stables"  p.  492. 

NAIL-HOLES,    ETC. 

"  A  great  advantage  is  gained  in  the  form  of  the  nails  by  making  use  of 
countersunk  holes.  With  them  the  heads  of  the  nails  can  never  wear  out,  if 
they  fit  the  holes,  until  the  shoe  itself  is  worn  through.  With  these  nails 
the  heads  should  exactly  occupy  and  completely  fill  the  holes.  No  portion 
of  the  thin  part  of  the  nail  should  be  in  the  shoe,  nor  any  portion  of  the 
thick  part  in  the  crust.  The  thin  part  should  begin  where  the  nail  quits  the 
shoe  under  the  crust. 

"  The  nail-holes  should  be  punched  rather  nearer  the  outside  than  the 
inside  of  the  web  of  the  shoe,  and  should  be  brought  out  on  the  upper  side 
with  a  very  slight  inclination  outwards,  so  as  to  diminish  the  risk  of 
pricking. 


448  NAILS  AND  APPLYING  THE  SHOE. 

"  Five  nails  are  sufficient :  therefore  there  must  be  three  on  one  side 
and  two  on  the  other.  The  inside  is  chosen  for  the  omission  of  the  third 
nail.  Six  nails,  viz.,  three  on  each  side,  are  needed  to  hold  a  hind  shoe  in 
place." 

"Fullering  [see  Fig.  212]  is  objectionable  because  the  groove 
weakens  the  shoe.  Again,  nails  never  fit  so  well  or  so  tightly  into  the 
groove  of  the  fuller  as  into  countersunk  holes  [see  Fig.  213]." — Sir  F. 
Fitzwygram,  "Horses  and  Stables"  p.  486  et  seq. 

NAILS. 

"  Nails  must  be  made  of  the  best  and  toughest  iron,  for  none  other  can 
stand  the  strain  and  jar  of  fast  work.  The  quality  of  the  nail  may  be  easily 
tested  by  fastening  it  in  a  vise.  It  should  not  break  before  pointing  under 
five  bendings." 

"  The  size  of  the  nail  must  be  varied  according  to  the  size  of  the  foot 
and  the  weight  of  the  shoe.  The  dimensions  of  the  head  must,  of  course, 
be  proportionate  to  the  size  of  the  nail." 

"  Rose-headed  nails  cannot  exactly  fit  and  fill  the  nail-holes.  A  portion 
of  the  neck  of  the  nail  must  be  in  the  shoe,  and  at  that  point  it  will  be  apt 
to  break.  Again,  a  portion  of  the  head  generally  projects  below  the  shoe, 
and  that  portion  must  be  soon  lost  by  friction  with  the  ground."  —  Sir  F. 
Fitzwygram,  "  Horses  and  Stables"  p.  485. 

APPLYING   THE    SHOE. 

"The  shoe  may  be  tried  on  warm  enough  to  mark  the  crust.  It  is 
difficult  to  fit  the  shoe  accurately  without  such  marking.  There  is  no  real 
objection  to  the  practice,  as  the  horn  is  quite  insensitive.  But  this  permis- 
sion must  not  be  made  an  excuse  for  burning  down  the  crust." 

"  The  crust  having  been  lowered  by  the  rasp,  aided  as  little  as  possible 
by  the  knife,  and  rendered  smooth  by  the  rasp,  and  its  sharp  edge  having 
been  rounded  off,  the  shoe  must  then  be  so  fitted  that  its  outer  edge  cor- 
responds exactly  with  the  crust.  It  must  not  be  smaller  than  the  crust,  nor 
overlap  it  in  the  slightest  degree.  If  a  shoe  be  applied  smaller  than  the 
crust,  and  such  is  the  usual  practice,  the  crust  must  be  rasped  down  to  it. 
If,  on  the  other  hand,  the  shoe  be  larger  than  the  crust,  treads  and  other 
injuries  may  be  the  result,  and  in  deep  ground  the  shoe  may  be  pulled  off. 


RE-SHOEING.  449 

Any  mark  of  the  rasp  on  the  crust  is  the  sure  sign  that  the  farrier  has  not 
taken  the  trouble  to  fit  the  shoe  to  the  foot."  — Sir  F.  Fitzwygram,  "  Horses 
and  Stables"  p.  484. 

"  The  nails  should  be  brought  out  in  the  hoof  about  an  inch  above  the 
shoe.  If  brought  out  higher  there  will  be  risk  of  injury  to  the  sensitive 
part  of  the  horn.  If  lower,  they  will  not  get  sufficient  hold.  But  in  feet 
which  have  been  maltreated,  it  will  be  safer  to  bring  the  nails  out  some- 
what lower.  The  heel  nails  may  be  brought  out  somewhat  lower  than  the 
toe  and  quarter  nails." 

"  The  heads  of  the  nails  should  be  driven  down  very  nearly,  but  not 
quite  flush  with  the  under  surface  of  the  shoe.  A  very  little  projection, 
however,  is  necessary  in  order  that  the  pincers  may  be  held  firmly  against 
the  heads  of  the  nails,  whilst  the  clenches  are  being  turned  down,  otherwise 
it  is  difficult  to  get  a  good  firm  clench." 

"  Clenching  is  the  technical  term  for  turning  down  the  end  of  the  nail 
after  it  has  been  driven  through  the  crust.  The  nail  should  be  broken  off 
as  short  as  possible,  and  turned  down  and  flattened  by  the  hammer.  The 
rasp  should  not  be  applied  to  the  clench."  —  Sir  F.  Fitzwygram,  "Horses 
and  Stables"  p.  487. 

"  Nothing  remains  to  be  done  but  to  bend  down  or  '  clench  '  the  por- 
tion of  nail  so  drawn  up  on  the  face  of  the  wall.  This  should  be  accom- 
plished by  shortening  the  fragment  to  a  proper  length  by  the  rasp,  so  as  to 
leave  just  enough  to  turn  over ;  the  rasp  also  removes  the  small  barb  of  horn 
raised  in  drawing  up  the  nail,  but  without  making  a  notch,  and  then  the 
clench  is  laid  down  evenly.  No  more  rasping  or  cutting  should  be  allowed 
on  any  pretext  whatever. 

"  Very  different  to  this  treatment  is  that  practised  in  nearly  every  forge, 
where  the  front  of  the  hoof  is  rasped  most  unmercifully  as  high  as  the 
coronet.  Over  the  whole  external  face  of  this  part  there  appears  to  be 
spread  a  fine  translucent  horn,  which  looks  like  a  varnish,  whose  office  in 
all  probability  is  to  prevent  undue  drying  of  the  hoof  and  consequent 
brittleness."  —  G.  Fleming,  "  Practical  Horseing,"  p.  82. 

RE-SHOEING. 

"  The  growth  of  the  foot  renders  it  necessary  to  refit  every  shoe  at  the 
•end  of  a  month.  For  reasons  given  above  it  is  undesirable  to  burden  a 


450     ANT1-SLIPPING  SHOES  AND  SHARPENED  SHOES. 

horse  with  heavier  shoes  than  necessary.     Therefore,  the  horse  should  be 
shod  with  new  shoes  every  month. 

"  Shoes,  if  properly  fitted,  and  if  resting  on  a  sound  unrasped  crust, 
should  not  require  to  be  removed  during  a  month.  The  nails,  however, 
should  be  frequently  examined,  and  any  that  are  faulty  should  be  replaced." 
—  Sir  F.  Fitzwygram,  "Horses  and  Stables"  p.  483. 

ANTI-SLIPPING    SHOES. 

In  cities  where  the  streets  are  asphalted 
it  is  the  common  practice  to  use  shoes 
made  with  rubber  bearings.  These  shoes 
are  constructed  in  various  forms,  but 
aside  from  those  designs  which  cover  the 
entire  surface  of  the  bottom  of  the  foot, 
any  one  of  the  many  patent  shoes  answers 
the  purpose  fairly  well.  (See  Fig.  214.)  The  sole  and  frog 
should  not  be  covered,  and  if  it  is  found  necessary  to  inter- 
pose a  leather  pad  between  the  hoof  and  the  shoe  to  lessen 
the  concussion,  the  leather  should  be  cut  away  close  to  the 
inside  of  the  shoe. 

SHARPENED  SHOES  FOR  SNOW. 

When  the  ground  is  frozen  or  covered  with  snow  the 
horse's  shoes  should  have  a  toe  and  heel  point.  The  calking 
in  front  should  be  the  same  length  as  those  at  the  heels,  so 
that  the  foot  is  kept  level.  These  points  soon  wear  down  on 
bare,  frozen  ground,  and  they  should  be  resharpened  at  fre- 
quent intervals.  It  is  often  found  necessary  to  use  calking 
boots  in  the  stable  to  prevent  the  horse  from  injuring  the 
hoof  by  standing  with  the  prongs  of  one  shoe  on  the  wall  of 
the  other  hoof.  The  only  effective  means  of  preventing  a 
horse  from  "  balling,"  /.  e.,  packing  the  snow  in  hard  lumps 


SHARPENED  SHOES  FOR  SNOW.  451 

within  the  shoe,  is  by  stuffing  the  feet  with  a  preparation  of 
gutta-percha.  This  material  is  prepared  by  the  manufactur- 
ers, and  it  has  only  to  be  slightly  warmed  before  applying. 
The  writer  has  tried  smearing  the  sole  with  glycerine  and 
many  other  so-called  preventatives,  but  the  result  has  not 
been  satisfactory. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 


CONDITIONING,    MOUTHING,    EXERCISING,  TRIMMING,  PULLING  THE 

MANE,    HOGGING,    DOCKING,    CLIPPING,    SINGEING, 

PASTURING    AND    WINTERING. 

THE  subjects  dealt  with  in 
this  chapter,  together  with 
those  considered  in  the  pre- 
ceding one,  are  those  which 
have  especial  reference  to  the 
treatment  required  to  establish 
and  maintain  the  horse  in  a 
healthful,  useful  and  presenta- 
ble condition.  The  constitution,  temperament  and  peculiari- 
ties of  horses  vary  to  such  an  extent,  and  the  many  other  cir- 
cumstances attending  the  care  of  horses  bear  so  much  weight, 
that  it  is  impossible  to  offer  specific  advice.  On  the  other 
hand,  the  reader  should  hesitate  and  demand  common-sense 
reasons  for  any  radical  changes  in  the  care  of  his  horses 
before  permitting  his  servant  to  deviate  from  the  suggestions 
here  given.  The  writer's  advice  may  not  always  be  the  best, 
but  it  will  be  found  conservative,  and  the  owner  can,  by  a 
little  experimenting,  discover  how  quickly  the  condition  of 
the  horse  indicates  the  practice  of  a  fallacious  theory. 

CONDITIONING. 

Conditioning  is  the  term  applied  to  the  preparation  of  a 
horse  for  the  work  which  he  is  intended  to  regularly  per- 

452 


CONDITIONING.  453 

form.  Such  training  is  made  necessary,  owing  to  physical 
impairment,  the  result  of,  first,  the  unhealthy,  fatty  state  in 
which  most  horses  come  from  the  hands  of  dealers;  and, 
second,  on  account  of  the  want  of  firmness  and  tone  in  the 
tissues  of  those  horses  which  have  not  been  in  constant  use. 
Many  cases  of  sickness  and  strained  tendons  are  due  to  the 
sudden  transition  from  a  mild  to  a  highly  stimulating  diet, 
and  from  a  comparative  state  of  rest  to  an  unaccustomed 
amount  of  work.  The  necessity  of  gradual  training  for  any 
athletic  work  is  universally  recognized,  and  the  irrational 
treatment  of  the  horse,  under  similar  circumstances,  can 
only  be  considered  proof  of  the  owner's  lack  of  knowledge 
or  of  his  indifference. 

In  conditioning,  the  treatment  to  be  followed  will  depend 
upon  circumstances.  If  the  system  of  the  horse  is  in  an 
unhealthy  state,  owing  to  improper  feeding  or  to  the  inju- 
rious action  of  tonics,  the  animal  should  be  thoroughly  phys- 
icked, but  when  the  horse  is  merely  taken  up  from  pasture  or 
into  active  service,  after  being  kept  on  low  but  wholesome  diet, 
purging  is  not  only  unnecessary  but  harmful.  Physicking  is 
intended  to  remove  impurities  from  the  body;  but  when 
these  do  not  exist,  its  effect  is  to  reduce  the  system,  without 
producing  any  counterbalancing  result.  When  a  horse 
comes  from  a  dealer  or  is  known  to  have  been  improperly 
fed  it  is  advisable  to  submit  the  animal  to  a  thorough  clear- 
ing out,  preparation  for  which  should  not  be  made  in  the 
few  hours  usually  allotted  to  this  treatment  by  ignorant 
stable  servants,  but  the  bowels  should  be  prepared  for  the 
action  of  the  physic  ball  several  days  prior  to  administering 
the  medicine.  If  this  is  done  the  dose  need  be  neither  so 
large  nor  so  strong  as  would  otherwise  be  required,  and  the 


454  CONDITIONING. 

bowels,  in  addition  to  responding  more  thoroughly  to  the 
action  of  the  drug,  regain  their  normal  condition  more 
rapidly.  Gripes  may  be  thus  prevented  and  the  convales- 
cence of  the  patient  promoted.  On  the  second  and  third  days 
before  the  horse  is  to  be  physicked  the  three  feedings  of  oats 
should  be  reduced  one  half,  and  a  bran  mash  of  equivalent 
weight  given  in  its  place.  The  day  before  the  physic  the 
oats  should  be  entirely  withdrawn,  and  in  their  stead  a  cor- 
responding weight  of  bran  mash  allowed.  On  the  morning 
of  the  third  day  a  "  ball  "  of  aloes  should  be  given,  and  the 
horse  deprived  of  his  early  morning  fare. 

"  Aloes  is  by  far  the  best  and  safest  purgative.  Cape  and  East  India 
are  inferior  to  Barbadoes,  chiefly  on  account  of  the  greater  proportion  of 
resinous  matter  they  contain.  Aloes  is  usually  and  most  conveniently  given 
in  the  solid  form  as  a  ball.  Four  or  five  drachms  are  a  sufficient  dose  for 
most  horses  if  properly  prepared;  but  large  heavy  horses  may  perhaps 
require  five  or  six.  It  usually  operates  in  about  twenty-four  hours. 

"  The  following  prescriptions  for  an  aloetic  mass  are  recommended  in 
preference  to  those  made  up  with  oils  or  other  fats  : 

Barbadoes  aloes  .....         8  parts. 

Glycerine   .......         2     " 

Powdered  ginger i     " 

"  Melt  together  in  water  and  thoroughly  incorporate. 

"  Dose  from  6  to  8  drachms. 

"  In  cases  where  the  use  of  ginger  is  considered  objectionable,  the 
same  quantity  of  powdered  gentian  root  may  be  substituted.  The  action  of 
the  medicine  will  be  slightly  increased. 

"  Aloetic  medicine  should  not  be  made  up  in  balls  until  required  for 
use,  but  should  be  kept  in  a  mass  in  a  glass-stoppered  bottle.  When  divided 
into  small  portions,  as  in  balls,  it  soon  becomes  dry  and  hard,  and  is  then 
uncertain  in  its  effects.  A  single  ball  can  be  made  up  by  reducing  the 
aloes  (4  or  5  drachms)  to  powder  in  a  mortar,  and  adding  2  drachms  of 


MOUTHING,  ETC.  455 

ginger  with  sufficient  treacle  to  form  a  soft  mass.     The  ball  must  then  be 
wrapped  in  soft  paper."  —  Sir  F.  Fitzwygram,  "  Horses  and  Stables"  p.  14.5. 

When  the  physic  has  acted  the  animal  may  be  allowed, 
at  the  noon  and  evening  feedings,  bran  mashes,  and  grad- 
ually returned  to  a  moderate  amount  of  oats,  six  or  eight 
quarts  per  day.  If  from  the  effects  of  the  "  ball  "  the  horse 
continues  soft  on  the  third  day,  he  should  be  induced  to 
drink  half  a  pailful  of  tepid  water  into  which  a  handful  of 
flour  has  been  mixed.  From  this  time  on  the  treatment  of 
the  horse  is  the  same  as  one  which  has  been  in  idleness. 
They  should,  at  first,  both  be  given  very  light  work  on  a 
lounging-rein  (see  Fig.  215),  and  the  exercise  gradually  in- 
creased. The  quantity  and  nature  of  the  fodder  should  be 
relative  to  the  amount  of  work.  At  first  five  or  six  quarts 
of  oats  with  occasional  bran  mashes  and  the  usual  amount 
of  hay  will  be  sufficient,  but  as  the  horse  "  hardens  up,"  the 
quantity  of  oats  should  be  daily  increased  to  eight  or  ten 
quarts.  From  one  to  four  weeks  is  required  to  get  a  carriage 
or  saddle  horse  in  good  condition.  If  he  is  fat  and  becomes 
easily  "blown,"  is  thin  and  scours,  or  sweats  readily,  his 
training  may  be  considered  incomplete.  The  sweat  of  a 
horse,  in  good  hard  condition,  is  like  water,  while  thick, 
lathery  sweat  indicates  the  reverse. 

"  Horses  that  come  fresh  from  a  dealer's  have  usually  been  fed  on  soft 
food.  When  first  brought  into  a  stable  they  will  require  a  dose  of  physic, 
gentle  exercise,  beginning  with  walking  and  gradually  increasing  in  amount 
and  pace,  and  a  diet  of  hard  corn  for  a  week  or  a  fortnight  before  they  will 
be  fit  to  do  hard  work."  —  Earl  of  Onslow,  Badminton,  "  Driving"  p.  73. 

MOUTHING,    ETC. 

The  two  defects  common  to  most  carriage  and  saddle 
horses  are,  first,  "  bad  manners " ;  and,  second,  the  wasteful 


456  MOUTHING,  ETC. 

expenditure  of  energy.  Both  of  these  defects  are  in  a  great 
measure  due  to  a  neglect  of  proper  bit  training.  The  ma- 
jority of  horses,  whether  bought  from  dealers  or  private 
owners,  have  never  gone  through  a  course  of  mouthing,  and 
by  such  animals  a  bit  is  treated  merely  as  something  to  pull 
against.  Some  dealers  give  their  horses  a  few  weeks'  school- 
ing, but  accustoming  the  animal  to  city  sights  occupies  most 
of  their  thoughts  and  time.  The  mouthing  incidentally 
given  is  usually  very  incomplete,  and  its  full  development 
falls  to  the  owner  or  his  representative,  who  has  in  most 
cases  to  undo  what  has  been  done  and  commence  at  the 
beginning. 

A  complete  system  of  training  the  horse  to  a  proper 
response  to  the  bit  begins  first  with  the  education  of  the  ani- 
mal to  the  feeling  of  a  bit  in  the  mouth.  The  mouthing  bit 
is  the  type  used  for  this  purpose.  (See  p.  273.)  Side  reins, 
made  with  a  rubber  section,  should  be  attached  to  the  rings  of 
the  bit  and  the  roller,  and  sufficient  pressure  exerted  to  teach 
the  horse  that  it  is  to  his  advantage  "  to  give  " — bend  his 
neck  and  head — so  that  the  pressure  will  cease.  As  the  effect 
of  these  side  reins  is  to  bring  new  muscles  into  play,  the 
length  of  the  reins  at  first  should  be  sufficient  to  allow  the 
horse  to  hold  his  head  in  almost  its  customary  position. 

The  second  object  of  mouthing  is  to  teach  the  horse  to 
carry  his  head  in  such  a  position  that  the  mouth-piece  will, 
when  drawn  by  the  reins,  bear  upon  the  most  sensitive  part 
of  the  mouth,  i.  e.,  the  bars  or  gums  lying  between  the 
tushes  and  back  teeth.  Owing  to  the  manner  in  which  the  bit 
is  suspended  from  the  cheek-pieces  of  the  bridle  the  mouth- 
piece will  fall  most  accurately  on  the  bars  when  the  draught 
of  the  reins  is  exerted  at  right  angles  to  the  bars.  Hence 


MOUTHING,  ETC.  457 

a  horse  that  is  to  be  driven  in  a  low  wagon  will  not  be  re- 
quired to  flex  his  neck  to  the  extent  that  he  would  if  the 
reins  were  to  be  held  by  the  driver  at  a  higher  point.  The 
position  desired  is  one  in  which  the  bars  of  the  mouth  or 
the  cheek-pieces  of  the  bridle  are  at  right  angles  to  the  reins, 
when  the  latter  are  taut.  The  horse  should  never  be  al- 
lowed to  flex  his  neck  to  such  an  extent  as  to  impair  his 
breathing  powers  by  partly  closing  the  windpipe,  and  the 
following  extract  is  quoted  to  show  that  there  are  some 
horses  so  formed  that  it  is  not  only  disadvantageous  but  cruel 
to  carry  the  flexing  of  the  neck  beyond  certain  limits  : 

"There  are  some  horses  so  peculiarly  formed  about  the  neck  that  they 
have  little  more  pliability  in  it  than  a  pig.  Yet  is  this  horse  wanted,  and 
by  some  expected,  to  carry  his  head  in  as  good  a  place,  or  nearly  so,  as  the 
finer  made  one.  To  make  him  do  this,  or  rather  to  attempt  to  make  him 
do  it,  his  mouth  is  tortured  and  bored  at  till  it  becomes  as  hard  as  the  hand 
of  a  blacksmith  or  a  bricklayer's  laborer.  Any  judge  of  horses  would  see 
whereabouts  nature  had  intended  and  enabled  the  animal  to  carry  his 
head  and  neck,  and  would  not  attempt  to  make  him  do  that  which  it  was 
impossible  he  could  do ;  and  by  allowing  him  to  carry  it  in  such  place,  the 
animal's  mouth  would  perhaps  be  as  pleasant  as  that  of  any  other  horse."  — 
Charles  Brindley,  "  Practical  Horsemanship"  p.  88. 

A  very  little  pressure  should  be  used  during  the  first 
few  days,  and  the  lesson  should  not  last  more  than  a  quarter 
of  an  hour;  but  as  the  horse  learns  to  flex  his  neck  the 
side  reins  should  be  gradually  tightened.  The  effect  of  the 
schooling  is  lessened  if  the  horse  is  fastened  to  the  pillar- 
reins,  as  he  soon  learns  to  lean  upon  them.  As  soon  as  the 
work  has  progressed  to  a  point  where  the  horse  has  learned 
to  hold  his  head  in  the  desired  position  when  standing,  he 
must  next  be  taught  to  carry  it  in  the  same  manner  when 
in  motion.  For  this  part  of  the  schooling  a  Blackwell's 


458 


MOUTHING,  ETC. 


dumb  jockey  (see  Fig.  215)  should  be  used,  and  the  horse's 
knees  protected  by  knee-boots.  The  side  reins  should  be 
let  out  three  or  four  holes  from  the  tightest  point  hitherto 
reached  and  a  lounging- rein  of  webbing  or  leather,  fifteen  or 
twenty  feet  long,  fastened  to  the  ring  on  the  centre  of  the 
nose-band  of  the  lounging-bridle  or  cavesson.  The  object  of 
using  this  ring  is  to  prevent  any  one-sided  pressure  falling 
on  the  mouth,  and  also  to  obviate  any  pressure  conflicting 
with  that  of  the  side  reins.  The  horse  should  be  walked  in 


FIG.    215. 

a  circle  four  or  five  times  in  one  direction  and  then  in  the 
other.  From  time  to  time  he  should  be  stopped  and  started 
and  the  side  reins  adjusted  daily.  The  horse  should  be  made 
to  change  his  gaits  quickly,  from  a  walk  to  a  trot  and  vice 
versa,  and  if  a  saddle  horse  to  spring  into  a  canter  from  either 
a  walk  or  a  trot,  leading  with  the  right  foot.  These  move- 
ments should  be  repeated  frequently  until  the  horse  becomes 
thoroughly  "  handy,"  /.  ^.,  obeys  readily.  Whatever  type  of 
bearing-rein  or  martingale  is  to  be  used  on  the  horse, 


MOUTHING,  ETC.  459 

should  be  put  on  and  the  animal  accustomed  to  its  action  dur- 
ing this  period  of  schooling. 

The  third  purpose  of  these  primary  lessons  is  to  teach 
the  horse  to  carry  himself  properly.  By  compelling  the 
animal  to  flex  his  neck  and  carry  his  head  low  and  compara- 
tively near  the  body  the  natural  balance  is  disturbed  and 
the  power  of  speed  diminished,  but  the  horse's  action  is 
brought  into  a  smaller  compass  and  made  more  uniform. 
The  result  is  that  he  moves  like  clockwork,  and  is  so  col- 
lected that  he  is  not  thrown  off  his  feet  by  any  sudden  stop- 
ping or  turning,  and  is  consequently  more  sure  footed. 
Combined  with  such  training  there  should  be  a  certain 
amount  of  time  allotted  to  schooling  the  horse  over  a  circle 
of  straw  or  cornstalks  with  here  and  there  a  log  so  placed 
that  it  can  be  readily  seen.  This  form  of  work  improves 
the  action  of  the  fore  and  hind  legs,  making  them  act  in 
unison,  and  causes  the  horse  to  be  on  the  lookout  for  ob- 
structions. 

The  reader  will  be  surprised  to  see  how  much  more  easily 
a  horse  is  controlled  and  improved  in  his  action  after  hav- 
ing been  thoroughly  schooled  in  this  manner.  Many  horses 
that  required  severe  bits  and  that  interfered,  forged  or 
stumbled  have,  by  careful  bitting  and  schooling,  been  after- 
wards easily  driven  in  the  mildest  forms  of  bits,  and  all 
defects  in  their  action  have  disappeared.  The  training, 
however,  should  only  be  intrusted  to  a  competent  man  who 
carefully  advances  the  work  from  day  to  day,  and  sees  that 
the  horse  does  not  become  over-fatigued,  that  the  harness 
is  properly  and  comfortably  adjusted,  and  that  the  horse's 
mouth  is  absolutely  free  of  any  injury  from  the  action  of 
the  bit.  The  cost  of  a  Blackwell's  dumb  jockey  is  $36.00. 


460  EXERCISING. 

EXERCISING. 

Horses  in  private  stables  are  either  not  given  sufficient 
exercise  or  it  is  not  uniform  in  its  amount ;  that  is,  too 
much  on  some  days  and  too  little  on  others.  To  keep  car- 
riage and  saddle  horses  in  good  condition  they  should 
perform  between  six  and  twelve  miles  per  day.  Horses  in 
the  average  stable  are  under-exercised  and  inconsiderately 
exposed  in  cold  and  wet  weather.  As  horses  are  luxuries,  it 
is  not  to  be  supposed  that  an  owner  who  merely  employs 
them  in  being  comfortably  transported  from  one  place  to 
another  will  put  himself  to  the  inconvenience  of  using  the 
carriage  for  the  sole  purpose  of  giving  the  horses  exercise. 
Instead,  the  all  too  common  practice  is  to  have  the  horses 
wait  before  the  house,  shop  or  theatre  door  from  half  an 
hour  to  an  hour  and  a  half,  often  on  the  coldest  or  dampest 
days  in  winter.  Such  treatment,  if  the  horses  live,  is  fol- 
lowed by  leaving  the  animals  tied  in  their  stalls  for  three  or 
four  successive  days  without  work  or  exercise,  but  receiving 
the  full  quota  of  fodder. 

Many  of  the  accidents  which  are  blamed  upon  the  frac- 
tiousness  of  a  horse  are  due  to  a  lack  of  a  uniform  amount  of 
exercise.  Being  too  well  fed  he  is  ready  to  "jump  out  of  his 
skin  "  and  perform  antics  which  the  ignorant  coachman  does 
not  expect  and  is  unable  to  control.  A  diminished  diet  and 
an  hour's  exercise  on  off  days  will  keep  spirited  animals 
within  bounds.  If  the  stable  is  a  small  one  the  carriage  horses 
will  have  to  be  exercised  under  saddle,  owing  to  the  lack  of 
space  for  an  exercising  wagon  and  harness,  but  when  these 
can  be  kept  it  is  advisable  to  give  a  horse  the  same  kind  of 
exercise  he  is  accustomed  to  in  work.  The  same  applies  to 
saddle  horses,  and  a  saddle  for  this  purpose  should  be  kept. 


EXERCISING. 


461 


In  cities  when  the  horse  is  exercised  on  cold  days  an  exercis- 
ing blanket  and  sometimes  a  hood  should  be  used,  as  fast  work 
cannot  be  given  in  the  crowded  thoroughfares.  A  horse  is 
better  for  exercise  even  on  rainy  days  if  properly  carecl  for 
when  he  comes  in. 

When  a  pair  are  taken  out  under  saddle  the  horse  which 
is  led  should  be  under  the  restraint  of  a  side  rein  attached  to 
a  surcingle  on  the  off  side  and  the  bit  of  the  bridle.  (See  Fig. 
216.)  This  rein  ought  to  be  made  of  two  straps  buckled 


FIG.  216. 

together  so  that  they  may  be  adjusted  to  the  required  length. 
The  lead  rein  should  be  fastened  to  the  bit  on  the  off  side, 
and  the  loose  end  passed  under  the  chin  and  through  the 
ring  of  the  bit  on  the  nigh  side.  The  bits  used  should 
always  be  single  or  double  ringed  snaffles,  unless  there  is 
some  particular  need  for  a  severer  form.  All  exercising 
blankets  should  extend  only  to  the  shoulder,  the  ends  being 
held  in  place  either  by  a  breast-piece  or  straps  made  of 
blanket  cloth.  (See  Fig.  216.)  The  use  of  knee-boots 


462  EXERCISING. 

should  be  insisted  upon  for  both  carriage  and  saddle  horses, 
and  a  bridle  with  winkers  used  on  the  former  when  exer- 
cised under  saddle. 

The  middle  of  the  day  in  winter  and  early  in  the  morn- 
ing in  summer  are  the  best  times  for  the  airing.  Only  a 
reliable  and  competent  man  should  be  allowed  to  exercise  the 
horses,  as  such  work  affords  opportunities  for  inefficient 
stable  servants  to  get  into  no  end  of  trouble.  A  good  deal  of 
watchfulness  is  required  to  prevent  the  time  given  for  exer- 
cise being  transferred  to  personal  visits,  etc.  Defects  in  the 
horse's  manners  and  the  fear  of  certain  objects  should  be 
corrected  during  these  outings. 

"  The  best  stables,  the  best  food  and  the  best  grooming  will  not  secure 
condition  —  that  is,  the  highest  degree  of  horse  health  —  without  sufficient 
and  regular  exercise.  The  degree  will  depend  on  how  long  the  horse  has 
been  in  use. 

"  When  hunters  are  wound  up  to  high  condition,  if  their  daily  exercise 
is  stopped  by  a  heavy  fall  of  snow  or  any  other  cause,  they  must  be  imme- 
diately put  on  bran  mashes,  most  of  their  corn  and  all  of  their  beans  stopped, 
otherwise  the  effect  of  large  feeds  of  stimulating  food  is  almost  sure  to  pro- 
duce attacks  of  inflammation,  ending  in  roaring,  ophthalmia,  fever  of  the 
feet,  and  a  host  of  diseases  which  will  be  still  more  dangerous  if,  to  keep 
thin  coats  sleek  and  shining,  the  stables  are  deprived  of  supplies  of  fresh 
air,  and  turned  into  the  groom's  paradise  —  a  sort  of  hothouse." — S.  Sidney, 
" The  Book  of  the  Horse"  pp.  473  and  5/5. 

"Another  very  great  mistake  is  made  by  many  persons  in  considering 
that  old  horses  should  be  indulged  by  an  extra  allowance  of  rest  compared 
to  that  which  is  permitted  the  young  ones  of  their  stud.  The  incentive  to 
such  practice  is  an  amiable,  but  it  is  at  the  same  time  a  mistaken  one.  Old 
horses  cannot  bear  entire  rest ;  they  may  be  favored  as  to  the  frequency  of 
calling  forth  great  exertion  from  them,  but  a  couple  of  days  of  entire  rest 
brings  on  all  their  old  aches  and  pains  arising  from  work,  blows  and  falls. 
Exercise  is  life  to  them ;  it  keeps  the  vital  functions  going ;  and  limbs  that 


TRIMMING.  463 

regular  and  daily  exercise  keep  pliant,  become  stiff  and  rigid  by  continued 
absence  of  motion.  Any  exertion  under  such  circumstances  is  attended  with 
pain ;  and  if  an  old  horse  is  still  in  a  state  of  work  without  pain  to  himself, 
the  only  way  to  enable  him  to  do  so  is  to  keep  him  going.  Young  horses, 
on  the  contrary,  require  a  considerable  length  of  comparative  rest  to  recover 
from  unusual  exertion.  They  have  not  been  long  enough  accustomed  to  it 
for  habit  to  have  familiarized  its  effects  either  to  the  limbs,  muscles  or  con- 
stitution, all  of  which  suffer  considerable  temporary  prostration  by  it,  how- 
ever little  youthful  spirits  may  make  them  show  it.  The  old  horse  is  so 
accustomed  to  exertion  that  in  him  its  chief  effect  is  in  creating  stiffness, 
which  proper  exercise  carries  off." — Charles  Brindley,  "The  Hunting  Field" 
p.  61  et  seq. 

TRIMMING. 

Every  well  kept  horse  requires  "  trimming  up  "  from  time 
to  time.  Some  persons  consider  that,  with  the  horse,  beauty 
"  unadorn'd,  adorn'd  the  most,"  which  in  some  cases  is  true, 
as  is  instanced  in  the  trotter,  but  as  soon  as  man  submits 
the  horse  to  any  refinements,  they  should  be  carried  to 
a  full  state  of  development.  The  outlines  of  a  horse  should 
never  be  allowed  to  be  broken  by  the  presence  of  long  hairs, 
such  as  appear  on  the  fetlock  joints,  edges  of  the  ears  and 
around  the  jowl  and  muzzle. 

The  hairs  on  the  fetlock  joint  should  be  cut  moderately 
short  with  a  pair  of  scissors  and  then  trimmed  up  with  a 
hand  clipper,  after  which  the  hair  over  the  tendons  just  above 
should  be  thinned  out  by  the  fingers  and  not  by  the  clipper, 
in  order  to  prevent  a  line  of  short  bristles  from  showing 
where  the  work  ends.  By  combining  the  use  of  the  clippers 
with  hand  pulling  of  the  long  hairs,  the  object  of  the  trim- 
ming may  be  obtained  with  a  perfectly  smooth  natural 
appearance.  The  work  when  done  in  this  way  is  much 
more  satisfactory  than  when  done  with  a  singeing  lamp. 


464 


TRIMMING. 


FIG.    217. 


PULLING  THE  MANE.  465 

The  hair  of  the  ears  should  be  trimmed  only  at  the  edges ; 
that  on  the  inside  should  never  be  touched,  as  it  affords 
a  necessary  protection  against  dirt  and  dust  to  these  very 
valuable  organs.  As  the  long  hairs  on  the  muzzle  blur  the 
outline  of  the  lower  part  of  the  head  and  are  comparatively 
unnecessary  as  a  means  of  protection  to  the  horse  in  captivity, 
they  should  be  removed.  Scissors  should  be  used  in  prefer- 
ence to  a  singeing  lamp,  which  is  likely  to  frighten  a  horse 
owing  to  the  extreme  sensitiveness  of  this  part.  The  impor- 
tance of  affording  every  protection  to  the  eyes  is  so  great 
that  on  no  account  should  the  few  long  hairs  with  which 
they  are  surrounded  be  removed  or  even  cut.  Trimming 
combs  are  made  of  various  materials,  such  as  brass,  steel, 
rubber  and  bone.  The  chief  variety  in  form  is  shown  in 
Fig.  217. 


FIG.    2  1 8. 
PULLING    THE    MANE. 

The  manes  of  all  horses  with  short  tails  should  be  pulled, 
and  that  of  ponies  treated  in  the  same  way  or  hogged.  For 
pulling  the  mane  the  fingers,  roughened  with  a  little  pow- 
dered resin,  are  better  than  the  metal  forks  manufactured 
for  that  purpose.  (See  Fig.  218.)  The  mane,  if  heavy,  should 
be  thinned,  not  from  the  under  or  outer  side,  but  from  the 
middle,  by  twisting  a  few  strands  of  hair  around  the  fore- 
finger and  removing  it  evenly,  beginning  at  the  upper  end 
just  back  of  the  ears.  As  the  work  progresses  the  hair 


466  HOGGING. 

should  be  combed  out  from  time  to  time  to  guide  the  opera- 
tor in  the  trimming.  The  mane  should  be  made  about  three 
inches  long  at  the  centre  and  its  length  gradually  decreased 
toward  the  ends.  The  length,  however,  must  vary  according 
to  the  conformation  of  the  neck. 

The  aim  should  be  to  make  the  mane  light  and  lie  flat 
with  a  perfectly  even  edge.  Unruly  manes  should  be  dam- 
pened and  weighted  either  with  a  rod  that  is  made  for  this 
purpose  or  by  plaiting  the  hair  and  attaching  small  pieces  of 
lead  to  the  ends.  Devices  which  make  the  hair  wavy  should 
not  be  employed.  The  forelock  should  be  thinned  and 
shortened  to  correspond  with  the  mane;  the  objectionable 
practice  of  cutting  off  the  forelock  and  hair  which  comes 
under  the  crown-piece  of  the  bridle  should  not  be  allowed. 

HOGGING. 

Hogging,  that  is,  cropping  the  main  and  forelock  off 
close  to  the  skin,  should  be  limited  to  ponies  ;  if  horses  are 
treated  in  this  way,  it  gives  them  an  ungainly,  mulish  ap- 
pearance, and  although  it  was  at  one  time  customary  to  treat 
the  manes  of  hunters  in  this  manner,  the  practice  has  been 
largely  discontinued,  owing  to  a  recognition  of  the  value  of 
the  mane  as  an  aid  when  mounting  and  its  appearance  to 
the  horse.  The  mane  of  a  pony  which  is  to  be  hogged 
should  be  cut  short  with  shears  and  then  trimmed  close  to 
the  skin  with  a  pair  of  clippers  (see  Figs.  222,  223),  the  edge  of 
which  should  be  inserted  in  the  centre  of  the  mane  and  run 
down  to  the  hair  on  the  neck.  Care  should  be  taken  to  clip 
the  hair  evenly  and  that  the  outline  of  the  neck  is  perfectly 
smooth.  No  marks  of  the  clippers  should  be  made  on  the 
hair  at  the  sides  of  the  mane.  To  keep  the  mane  short  and 


TRIMMING  THE  TAIL. 


467 


in  good  condition  this  work  should  be  done  every  three 
weeks.  If  the  mane  is  allowed  to  grow  three  or  four  inches 
long  it  destroys  the  contour  of  the  neck  and  makes  the  ani- 
mal look  little  better  than  a  donkey. 


TRIMMING    THE    TAIL. 


The  trimming  of  tails  is  intended  to  give  a  neat,  natty 
appearance,  but  the  clumsiness  of  an  underbred  nag  is  only 
accentuated  by  such  treatment.  To  make  trimming  ap- 


FIG.    219. 


FIG.    220. 


propriate,  fairly  good  conformation,  action  and  spirit  are 
necessary.  There  is  an  English  fashion  prevalent  at  the 
present  time  of  allowing  the  hairs  on  the  tail  of  a  docked 
horse  to  remain  untrimmed.  This  is  a  fad,  and  has  nothing 
to  recommend  it  except  novelty. 

The  shape  in  which  the  hair  is  to  be  cut  should  be  largely 
determined  by  the  manner  the  tail  is  carried.     Large  horses 


468  TRIMMING  THE  TAIL. 

should  not  have  the  hair  trimmed  so  .short  as  small,  stocky, 
close-knit  animals.  The  person  who  does  the  trimming 
should  be  provided  with  a  comb,  a  dandy  brush,  a  long,  heavy 
straight  pair  of  shears  (see  Fig.  219)  and  a  pair  of  curved 
scissors.  (See  Fig.  220.)  The  hair  should  first  be  brushed 
straight  down  with  the  dampened  brush  and  then  combed 
and  parted  in  the  centre  along  the  top  of  the  bone.  The 
end  of  the  bone  is  held  by  an  assistant  in  a  position  as  near 
as  possible  to  that  in  which  it  is  naturally  carried.  With  the 
large  straight  shears  the  hair  is  cut  until  the  general  outline 
of  the  desired  form  is  obtained,  when  the  comb  and  dandy 


FIG.     221. 


brush  are  again  employed  in  parting  and  combing  the  hair. 
The  cutting  now  progresses  more  slowly,  the  length  and 
shape  of  the  two  sides  is  made  uniform,  and  at  short  inter- 
vals the  horse  is  trotted  up  and  down  to  enable  the  trimmer 
to  see  the  effect  of  his  work.  If  the  tail  is  very  heavy  the 
hair  underneath  is  evenly  cut  out  with  the  curved  scissors. 
Another  method  employed  is  to  have  the  assistant  hold  a 
flat  board  under  the  horse's  tail.  The  hair  is  parted  and 
combed  out  flat  and  then  cut  on  the  board  with  a  sharp 
knife.  Any  long  hairs,  etc.,  are  trimmed  with  the  straight 
shears.  This  manner  of  cutting  the  hair  is  very  effective 
with  thin-tailed  horses,  but  is  not  so  accurate  when  the  hair 


DOCKING.  469 

is  heavy  and  bushy.'  When  ignorant  grooms  are  allowed 
to  try  their  hand  at  trimming  a  tail,  they  give  an  optical 
proof  of  the  one  idea  their  heads  are  capable  of  holding  in 
regard  to  tail  trimming,  namely,  that  almost  all  the  hair  is  to 
be  cut  off.  Being  bunglers,  they  heedlessly  cut  away,  first  at 
one  side  and  then  at  the  other,  until  the  hair  has  been  cut  to 
the  bone.  For  protecting  the  tails  of  horses  that  are  being 
shipped  or  forwarded  to  horse  shows  a  covering  of  leather 
is  used.  (See  Fig.  221.) 

DOCKING. 

The  first  improvement  or  disfigurement,  as  the  reader 
may  consider  it,  that  the  average  carriage  or  saddle  horse 
undergoes  is  the  cutting  of  the  tail.  The  operator  who 
merely  "squares  off"  the  tail  destroys  the  natural  beauty 
without  giving  it  new  character,  and  having  no  conception 
of  the  need  of  corresponding  comeliness  in  other  parts,  rests 
satisfied.  If  the  reader  is  opposed  to  the  operation  or  to 
the  use  of  docked  horses  he  is  advised  to  avoid  a  compro- 
mise. A  short  tail  gives  a  horse  a  smart,  natty  appearance  ; 
the  long  tail,  if  well  formed  and  carried,  completes  the  grace- 
ful outlines  of  the  horse's  body ;  but  a  "  banged  "  tail  destroys 
both  effects,  and  in  addition  to  looking  like  a  meal  bag  tied 
to  the  Tiorse's  rump,  or  a  feather  duster  if  carried  high,  pos- 
sesses many  of  the  objectionable  features  of  both  extremes. 

Horses  which  are  much  longer  in  the  body  than  they 
are  high  at  the  withers  do  not  look  well  with  short  tails, 
and  it  is  therefore  wise  to  take  the  conformation  and  action 
into  consideration  before  irrevocably  committing  a  horse  to 
a  short-tailed  existence.  Only  experienced  eyes  can  pre- 
conceive the  effect  that  would  be  produced  by  cutting  and 


470  DOCKING. 

trimming  the  tail  of  a  horse.  There  are  so  many  controlling 
influences  to  be  taken  into  consideration,  such  as  shape, 
build,  carriage,  etc.,  that  unless  a  person  is  thoroughly  famil- 
iar with  horses  of  different  stamps  he  should  not  place  too 
much  confidence  in  his  ability  to  anticipate  results. 

The  question  of  docking  is  seldom  determined  by  the 
merits  of  the  dispute,  but  purely  on  personal  desire — like  the 
shooting  of  birds  or  deer.  If  we  are  hungry  the  act  is 
condoned  on  the  ground  of  necessity,  while  the  killing  of  a 
bird  or  animal  for  idle  amusement  is  denounced ;  yet  the 
pain  to  the  creatures  is  in  no  way  lessened  or  increased  by 
the  motive  of  the  destroyer.  Though  the  necessity  of  dock- 
ing is  not  as  apparent  as  that  of  supplementing  an  ample 
meal  with  a  course  of  woodcock  or  a  shoulder  of  venison, 
yet  it  exists  and  always  will,  so  long  as  this  particular  fash- 
ion sways  its  power. 

As  the  operation  of  docking  will  in  all  probability  be 
performed  for  many  years  to  come,  notwithstanding  that  it 
is  forbidden  by  law  in  many  states,  the  least  painful  means 
of  executing  it  is  described.  The  animal  can  be  spared  all 
the  preliminary  fear  to  which  he  is  unnecessarily  submitted 
in  being  twitched,  bound  or  otherwise  confined.  When  the 
time  for  the  operation  arrives,  the  blanket  should  be  folded 
back,  the  horse  standing  in  his  stall  as  under  ordinary  cir- 
cumstances. The  hair  is  then  cut  away  for  a  foot  or  more 
from  below  the  joint  that  is  to  be  severed,  and  that  which 
remains  above  is  tied  back  with  a  cord.  The  skin  is  pulled 
up  over  the  bone  as  much  as  possible  and  then  tied  an 
inch  above  the  joint  with  a  piece  of  catgut  firmly,  but  not 
as  tight  as  it  can  be  drawn.  For  the  cutting  a  docking  knife 
should  always  be  used  to  the  exclusion  of  such  crude  imple- 


CLIPPING.  471 

ments  as  hatchet,  saw  or  knife.  The  centre  of  the  under 
arm  should  be  placed  against  the  joint,  so  that  the  knife 
falls  on  the  middle  of  the  joint  socket.  The  upper  arm 
should  then  be  brought  firmly  and  rapidly  down.  Many,  if 
not  most,  of  the  cases  of  lockjaw  caused  by  docking  are  the 
result  of  the  tail  being  cut  by  an  ignorant  operator,  who 
cuts,  or  rather  crushes,  through  the  solid  bone,  which  results 
in  inflammation  and  blood  poisoning.  When  the  joint  has 
been  cut,  the  hair  which  was  tied  back  should  be  released 
and  retied  around  the  end  of  the  bone  ;  by  this  means  the 
blood  is  caught  and  soon  forms  a  plug.  Searing,  i.  e.,  burn- 
ing the  end  of  the  tail  with  a  hot  iron,  should  not  be  allowed. 
After  the  elapse  of  three  or  four  days,  the  catgut  should 
be  removed,  the  tail  gently  washed  in  tepid  water,  and  when 
dry  the  trimming  can  be  commenced. 

CLIPPING. 

The  advantages  of  removing,  by  clipping,  the  heavy  coat 
of -such  horses  as  are  required  to  perform  fast  work  in  win- 
ter is  so  well  recognized  by  all  horse  owners  of  experience 
that  all  theoretical  objections  should  bear  little  weight  in 
the  reader's  consideration  of  the  practice. 

The  process  of  clipping  formerly  was  done  with  a  pair 
of  shears  and  a  comb,  but  the  hand  (see  Figs.  222,  223)  and 
foot  power  machines  (see  Fig.  224)  have,  except  in  remote 
districts,  superseded  this  primitive  method.  The  removal  of 
the  coat  usually  includes  all  parts  except  the  hair  on  the 
inside  of  the  ears ;  but  unless  there  are  a  number  of  ser- 
vants to  care  for  the  horses  when  they  return  to  the  stable, 
it  is  advisable  to  omit  removing  the  hair  on  the  legs  from 
the  forearm  of  the  fore  legs  and  the  gaskins  of  the  hind 


472 


HAND  CLIPPING  MACHINES. 


FIG.    222, 


FIG.    223, 


CLIPPING. 


473 


ones  to  the  hoof.  The  protection  which  the  hair  affords  to 
the  lower  parts  of  the  legs  can  only  be  safely  dispensed 
with  when  careful  attention  is  given  to  drying  them  thor- 
oughly after  work.  Cracked  heels  are  the  common  result 
of  neglect  under  these  conditions.  Although  there  are  men 


FIG.    224. 

who  make  a  specialty  of  clipping  horses,  any  competent  stable 
servant  should  be  able  to  perform  this  task  in  a  satisfactory 
manner.  Many  men  clip  a  horse  in  such  a  way  that  the 
animal's  coat  is  uneven  and  scarred  with  lines.  If  properly 
done  there  should  be  neither  ridges  nor  streaks  ;  the  coat 
should  present  a  perfectly  smooth,  velvety  appearance.  Re- 


474          SINGEING,  PASTURING  AND  TURNING  OUT. 

garding  the  time  required  for  clipping  a  horse  it  is  hardly 
possible  to  say,  as  there  are  so  many  conditions  any  one  of 
which  may  or  may  not  exist,  such  as  the  horse  being  rest- 
less, nervous,  the  coat  being  heavy  or  light,  and  the  quality 
and  condition  of  the  clipping  machine.  It  is  said  that  the 
record  time  for  clipping  a  horse  with  the  hand  machine  is 
one  hour  and  twelve  minutes. 

SINGEING. 

"  Stable  men  have  long  been  in  the  habit  of  singeing  away  the  long, 
loose  hair  which  grows  about  the  jaws,  throat,  neck,  belly,  and  quarters  of 
horses  that  have  been  much  exposed  to  the  cold ;  a  flame  is  applied  and 
the  hair  is  allowed  to  blaze  for  a  moment,  when  it  is  extinguished  by  draw- 
ing the  hand  or  a  damp  cloth  over  it.  ...  But  singeing  is  now  done  by  a 


FIG.  225. 

kind  of  knife,  having  a  movable  back,  which  is  surrounded  with  tow  moist- 
ened with  spirit  of  wine  and  set  on  fire.  As  the  knife  is  drawn  over  the 
hairs,  their  points  start  and  are  taken  off  by  the  flame.  When  properly 
performed  this  operation  does  not  disfigure  the  horse  so  much  as  might  be 
expected.  He  does  not  look  so  ill  as  a  clipped  horse,  and  his  hair  is  never 
so  generally  shortened." — John  Stewart,  "Stable  Economy"  p.  119. 

PASTURING    AND    TURNING   OUT. 

It  frequently  happens  that  a  horse  is  turned  out  either 
in  a  pasture  or  dirt  paddock  for  the  purpose  of  convalescing 
or  to  reduce  the  cost  of  his  keep.  The  owner  must  realize 


PASTURING  AND  TURNING  OUT.  475 

that  a  horse  given  an  unlimited  quantity  of  grass  cannot 
be  taken  up  at  any  time  and  put  through  the  same  amount 
of  work  that  he  performs  when  given  his  full  quota  of 
oats  and  is  daily  groomed.  A  horse  derives  much  benefit 
from  the  use  of  a  dirt  paddock  in  the  early  morning  and 
evening;  or  if  left  out  on  warm  clear  nights  such  treatment 
should  not  prove  detrimental  to  his  working  condition.  The 
same  care  in  turning  a  horse  into  a  paddock  should  be  taken 
as  is  advised  for  an  animal  being  acclimated  to  pasturing. 
The  idea  that  roughing  it  hardens  the  horse  and  tones  up 
his  constitution  has  long  since  been  proved  fallacious,  and 
none  but  the  most  ignorant  master  would  think  of  turning 
his  horse  out  in  the  rain,  wind  and  snow  unprotected  either 
by  clothing  or  the  shelter  of  a  shed  or  barn.  The  transition 
from  a  condition  of  working  activity  to  that  of  quiet  graz- 
ing should  be  gradual  in  every  respect  The  amount  of 
oats  given  and  the  blanketing  should  be  lessened,  and  the 
horse  accustomed  to  little  or  no  clothing  before  being  finally 
turned  out. 

As  a  precautionary  measure  against  sprains,  etc.,  the 
horse  should  be  given  some  hard  work  before  being  allowed 
to  enjoy  his  limited  freedom.  A  bright  warm  day  should  be 
chosen  on  which  to  begin  the  outing,  and  in  spring,  fall  and 
winter  the  horse  should  be  turned  out  in  the  middle  of  the  day 
for  only  a  short  time,  half  an  hour  or  a  trifle  longer  is  suffi- 
cient. As  the  horse's  appetite  for  the  coveted  clover  is  very 
sharp  for  the  first  few  days,  he  should  be  prevented  from  phys- 
icking himself  by  being  either  fed  just  before  he  is  turned 
loose  or  by  muzzling.  At  any  season  of  the  year,  except 
midsummer,  the  horse  should  be  afforded  for  a  few  days 
the  protection  of  an  old  blanket,  either  heavy  or  light  de- 


476  PASTURING  AND  TURNING  OUT. 

pending  upon  the  time  of  year.  The  clothing  should  be 
snugly  kept  in  place  by  straps  across  the  chest  and  a  strong 
surcingle. 

During  fly  time  and  in  hot  weather  the  horse  should  be 
taken  up  in  the  middle  of  the  day  and  given  as  much  pro- 
tection from  these  sources  of  annoyance  as  circumstances 
permit.  In  June  and  July  the  servants  should  examine  the 
fore  quarters  each  day,  and  if  any  eggs  of  the  gadfly  are 
found  they  should  be  removed.  They  may  easily  be  detected, 
as  they  are  of  a  reddish  color  and  about  the  size  of  a  pin- 
head.  If  these  larvae  are  not  destroyed  the  horse  licks  them 
off,  and  by  such  means  they  are  conveyed  into  the  intestines, 
where  they  develop  into  bots. 

1  "  It  is  entirely  useless  to  attempt  any  treatment  to  rid  the  horse  of  bots ; 
they  go  at  their  appointed  time,  and  cannot  be  dislodged  before  this.  We 
should  remember  that  in  following  their  natural  course  or  stages  of  existence 
the  bots  loose  their  hold  during  May  and  June  mostly.  They  are  then 
expelled  in  great  numbers,  and  horse  owners,  noticing  them  in  the  manure, 
hasten  to  us,  saying,  '  My  horse  has  the  bots.'  If  we  are  honest  we  tell  him 
that,  in  the  natural  course  of  events,  nature  is  doing  for  him  that  which 
we  cannot  do.  We  may  say  in  conclusion,  then,  that  bots  seldom  produce 
any  evil  effects  whatever ;  that  no  more  than  once  in  ten  thousand  times  are 
they  the  cause  of  colicky  symptoms,  and  that  they  require  no  medicine  to 
eject  them."  —  C.  B.  Michener,  in  "  Special  Report  on  the  Diseases  of  the 
Horse,"  U.  S.  Department  of  Agriculture,  p.  j6. 

It  is  of  the  greatest  importance  that  the  paddock  or  field 
should  be  thoroughly  inspected  before  the  horse  is  allowed 
his  freedom.  Defective  fencing,  barb  wire,  nails,  glass,  ver- 
min, holes  and  quicksand  are  the  chief  dangers  met  with. 
If  possible  two  or  more  horses  should  not  be  turned  out  in 
the  same  field  for  the  first  time  together,  as  they  are  apt  to 
injure  one  another.  On  clear,  warm,  summer  nights  horses 


WINTERING.  477 

may  be  left  out  to  advantage.  By  leaving  the  head-collar 
on,  the  capture  of  a  loose  horse  is  facilitated.  Some  oats 
shaken  in  a  sieve  or  measure  often  induce  a  wary  horse  to 
come  within  reach,  or  he  may  be  caught  by  being  allowed  to 
follow  a  more  quiet  companion  into  the  stable. 

"  The  influence  of  soil  upon  the  horse's  feet  and  legs  has  been  much 
spoken  of,  but  it  has  been  much  exaggerated.  Horses  reared  in  soft,  marshy 
pastures  have  large,  flat  feet,  low  at  the  heels  and  weak  everywhere.  On 
dry  ground  the  hoof  is  hard,  strong  and  small,  the  sole  concave,  and  the 
heels  high,  but  to  confer  any  peculiar  character  upon  the  hoof,  or  produce 
any  change  upon  it,  a  long  and  continued  residence  upon  the  same  soil  is 
necessary.  A  period  of  six  months  does,  perhaps,  produce  a  change,  but 
in  general  it  is  so  insignificant  that  it  is  not  apparent." 

"  When  the  pastures  are  hard,  baked  by  the  sun,  unshod  horses  are  apt  to 
break  away  the  crust,  and  they  often  come  home  with  hardly  horn  enough  to 
hold  a  nail.  Feet  that  have  never  been  shod  suffer  less ;  others  should,  in 
general,  be  preserved  by  light  shoes,  especially  on  the  fore  feet.  Kicking 
horses,  when  shod  behind,  are  rather  dangerous  among  others."  — John 
Stewart,  "  Stable  Economy"  pp.  308,  joy. 

WINTERING. 

Many  owners  having  no  occasion  to  use  their  horses  in 
winter  prefer  to  board  them  out  instead  of  selling  them  at 
the  close  of  the  season.  Unfortunately  for  the  horse,  and 
for  the  owner  it  may  be  added,  the  place  selected  is  seldom 
chosen  on  account  of  its  facilities  or  advantages,  but  oftener 
because  the  rate  charged  by  some  unscrupulous  livery  stable 
keeper  or  ignorant  farmer  is  a  dollar  or  two  less  per  month 
than  that  asked  by  reliable  care-takers.  Happily  the  better 
accommodations  offered  by  country  clubs,  gentlemen  farmers 
and  respectable  breeders  is  depriving  such  rascals  and  dul- 
lards of  the  opportunities  to  cheat  the  horse's  stomach  in 
order  to  gratify  their  own.  The  payment  of  a  fair  price 


478  WINTERING. 

for  the  horse's  board  will  be  as  advantageous  to  the  owner 
as  a  matter  of  economy  as  it  will  be  conducive  to  the  com- 
fort of  the  horse.  If  the  question  of  intelligent  supervision 
is  considered,  the  horse  is  best  off  in  the  care  of  a  breeder. 
The  head  servants  in  charge  of  country  club  stables  are  no 
better  nor  more  enlightened  than  they  should  be,  but  the 
accommodations  are  usually  very  fair.  Rather  than  intrust  a 
horse  to  rural  sharks,  it  is  more  humane  to  chance  the  ani- 
mal's fate  at  the  auction  mart.  The  charge  for  good  board 
varies  between  twelve  and  twenty  dollars  per  month,  depend- 
ing upon  the  character  of  the  quarters,  the  amount  of  food 
and  care  given.  All  horses  upon  going  out  of  active  service 
should  have  the  amount  of  their  work,  fodder  and  clothing 
gradually  reduced,  and  not  be  suddenly  transferred  from  one 
condition  to  the  other.  Either  the  change  should  be  instituted 
before  the  horse  leaves  the  owner's  stable  or  by  the  person  in 
whose  care  the  animal  is  left.  The  general  custom  is  to  allow 
the  horse  to  run  rough  without  any  grooming,  a  practice  disap- 
proved by  many  authorities  and  by  the  author,  except  when 
the  horse  is  exposed  in  cold  and  wet  weather;  the  oily  ex- 
cretions then  offer  a  protection  to  the  body.  Concerning 
this  matter,  Lieut.-Gen.  Sir  F.  Fitzwygram,  in  his  book  en- 
titled "  Horses  and  Stables,"  says: 

"Again,  if  health  is  to  be  preserved,  horses  which  for  eight  months  in 
the  year  are  accustomed  to  be  groomed,  ought  to  be  groomed  during  the 
remaining  four.  It  is  a  fallacy  to  suppose  that  the  horse,  when  thrown  out 
of  work,  does  not  require  to  be  groomed.  In  reality,  he  needs  it  far  more 
for  some  months,  than  when  at  work." — /.  83. 

The  horse  should  have  his  shoes  removed  as  soon  as  the 
active  exercise  has  been  brought  to  an  end  and  allowed  the 
freedom  of  a  box  stall,  measuring,  at  least,  lox  10.  The 


WINTERING. 


479 


horse  should  be  provided  with  an  old  head-collar,  halter 
shank  and  a  pair  of  heavy  blankets  and  stout  surcingle. 
During  the  entire  course  of  the  winter  he  should  receive  a 
fair  diet,  from  four  to  six  quarts  of  oats  and  from  twelve  to 
eighteen  pounds  of  hay  per  day,  and  occasionally  some  green 
fodder,  i.  <?.,  carrots  and  mangles.  The  bedding  should  be 
warm  and  clean.  Such  treatment  will  prolong  the  useful- 
ness of  a  horse,  and  although  thirty  or  forty  dollars  could  be 
saved  each  twelve  months  on  his  board,  an  outlay  of  two  or 
more  hundred  dollars  would  have  to  be  made  at  the  end  of 
three  or  four  years  in  the  hazarous  purchase  of  a  new  horse. 


CHAPTER    XVIII. 


BITTING,  THE  BEARING-REIN,  PREPARING  THE  HORSE  FOR  SADDLE 
OR  HARNESS,  SADDLING,  HARNESSING,  PUTTING  ON  LIVERY, 
"PUTTING  TO,"  POSITION  ON  THE  BOX,  GROOM'S  DUTIES, 
THE  USE  OF  A  CARRIAGE,  DISTANCE,  UNSADDLING,  UNHAR- 
NESSING, CARE  OF  HORSES,  CARRIAGES,  STEELS,  HARNESS, 

SADDLES,    WHIPS,    LIVERY    AND    ROBES. 

WE  have  now 
come  to  the  de- 
tails, which,  if 
not  the  most  in- 
teresting, are 
certainly  indis- 
pensable factors 
in  determining 
to  what  degree 
an  equipage  is 
turned  out  in  a 
workmanlike 
manner.  The 
horse  and  car- 
riage may  be 
respectively  of  good  quality  and  design,  the  harness  and 
livery  of  excellent  material  and  cut,  and  the  servant  well 
built  and  of  good  appearance ;  but  unless  the  parts  of  the 
epuipage  are  in  perfect  condition,  and  unless  the  coachman 
has  the  proper  appreciation  of  correctness  and  neatness  in 

480 


BITTING.  481 

the  matter  of  appointments,  all  of  the  owner's  judgment  and 
good  taste  in  the  selection  of  the  various  parts  will  only 
tend  to  emphasize  the  neglect  or  incompetency  of  his 
servant.  A  person  using  a  victoria  must  turn  out  such  a 
vehicle  with  more  regard  to  quality  and  neatness  than  a 
bucolic  who  merely  employs  a  wagon  as  a  means  of  con- 
veyance. The  matter  of  appointments  is  very  much  like 
that  of  dress ;  the  greater  the  pretensions  assumed  the  more 
care  must  be  observed  to  have  the  apparel  suit  the  hour 
and  the  man.  With  the  exception  of  the  ridiculous  sight 
of  the  owner  of  a  tandem  or  coach  being  driven  by  his 
servant  on  either  of  these  vehicles,  there  is  nothing  which 
opens  a  person  to  so  much  just  criticism  as  his  ignorance  or 
indifference  regarding  the  appearance  of  his  equipage.  It 
is  not  necessary  that  the  carriage,  harness,  etc.,  should  be 
elaborate,  but,  taken  as  a  whole  or  in  part,  they  should  be 
correct. 

BITTING. 

In  whatever  manner  a  horse  is  used,  the  rider's  or  driver's 
control  over  the  animal  is  primarily  determined  by  two 
factors:  first,  the  use  of  a  suitable  bit;  and,  second,  the 
proper  fitting  of  it  in  the  horse's  mouth.  Although  ex- 
tremely severe  bits  are  not  advised,  the  use  of  curb  bits,  when 
properly  employed,  are  recommended  to  the  private  horse 
owner.  The  writer's  reasons  for  such  advice  are  as  follows : 
the  pressure  of  the  ordinary  snaffle  or  straight  mouth-piece 
is  not  sufficiently  sharp  to  prevent  the  majority  of  horses 
from  learning  to  "bore"  against  it;  the  consequence  is  that 
the  rider  or  driver  is  compelled  to  exert  an  opposing  press- 
ure of  equal  force,  so  that  all  delicacy  of  feeling  is  lost  in 
the  horse's  mouth  and  to  the  rider's  or  driver's  hands.  With 


482  BITTING. 

a  more  severe  bit  the  horse  avoids  bringing  its  severity  into 
action  by  taking  a  lighter  hold,  and  in  turn  the  rider  or  driver, 
unless  he  is  very  insensible,  merely  " feels"  the  horse's 
mouth.  A  severe  bit  used  by  a  heavy  handed  driver  is  un- 
der such  conditions  converted  into  an  instrument  of  torture. 

"  I  should  perhaps  much  surprise  many  persons  by  stating  that  a  horse 
improperly  bitted  will  sometimes  set  him  kicking ;  they  may  say,  l  What  on 
earth  has  his  mouth  to  do  with  his  heels  ? '  A  great  deal,  with  some  horses. 
They  say  the  devil  is  good  tempered  when  he  is  well  pleased ;  so  am  I, 
and  so  is  a  horse ;  and  while  he  is,  he  goes  pleasantly  and  quietly.  Now 
put  a  too  severe  bit  in  his  mouth,  and,  what  is  ten  times  worse,  put  the 
reins  into  rude  hands,  his  mouth  gets  punished  ;  this  naturally  irritates,  and 
puts  him  out  of  temper.  Then  let  any  little  thing  occur  that  at  another 
time  he  would  not  have  cared  for,  in  his  present  temper  he  sets  to  milling 
away  at  once ;  yet  to  take  the  other  side  of  the  question,  I  am  in  general 
an  advocate  for  commanding  bits,  of  course  more  or  less  so  according  to 
each  horse's  mouth ;  but  I  mean  commanding  so  far  as  relates  to  that  horse ; 
but  then  horses  thus  bitted  must  be  given  up  to  a  coachman,  not  a  Yahoo 
with  fists  like  a  sledge-hammer.  In  single  harness,  particularly  in  break- 
ing or  driving  a  horse  disposed  to  kick,  he  should  have  a  very  severe  bit 
in  his  mouth,  by  means  of  which,  if  he  begins  his  nonsense,  you  may  bring 
him  up  at  once  on  his  haunches  or  nearly  on  his  tail.  This  is  no  pleasing 
operation  for  him ;  it  is  meant  as  punishment,  and  a  few  times  repeated 
will  make  him  fear  to  begin  again.  But  this  must  be  judiciously  done,  and 
when  other  and  gentler  measures  fail ;  a  horse  thus  severely  bitted  should 
be  driven  by  a  man  with  hands  as  light  as  a  feather,  though,  should  occa- 
sion require  it,  as  strong  as  those  of  a  giant.  A  severe  bit  with  such  a 
horse  also  prevents  that  pleasing  accompaniment  to  kicking,  namely,  run- 
ning away,  a  circumstance  of  very  common  occurrence." — Charles  Brind- 
ley,  "Stable  Talk  and  Table  Talk," p.  86. 

"  A  celebrated  Mr.  Maxse,  celebrated  some  fifteen  years  ago  for  a  fine- 
ness of  hand  that  enabled  him  to  cross  Leicestershire  with  fewer  falls  than 
any  other  sportsman  of  fifteen  stone  who  rode  equally  straight,  used  to  dis- 
play much  comical  impatience  with  the  insensibility  of  his  servants  to  this 
useful  quality.  He  was  once  seen  explaining  to  his  coachman,  with  a  silk 


BITTING.  483 

handkerchief  passed  around  a  post.  '  Pull  at  it,'  says  the  master.  '  Does  it 
pull  at  you  now?'  (  Yes,  sir,'  answered  the  servant,  grinning.  'Slack  it 
off  then.  Does  it  pull  at  you  now?  '  *  No,  sir.'  '  Well  then,  you  double- 
distilled  fool,  can't  you  see  that  your  horses  are  like  that  post.  If  you  don't 
pull  at  them,  they  won't  pull  at  you.'  " —  Captain  M.  E.  Harworth,  "  Road 
Strappings"  p.  n. 

There  is  a  saying  that  if  a  horse  cannot  be  held  with  a 
snaffle  he  cannot  be  held  with  any  form  of  bit.  The  truth 
of  this  statement  depends  in  what  manner  it  is  interpreted. 
If  an  expert  driver  cannot,  under  favorable  conditions,  hold 
a  horse  with  this  simple  form  of  bit,  it  is  very  doubtful  if 
any  severe  forms  would  render  the  horse  safe  for  general  use; 
but  on  the  other  hand  it  is  well  known  that  certain  forms  of 
severe  bits  not  only  make  a  horse  travel  more  collectedly, 
but  render  him  light  mouthed,  providing  the  rider  or  driver 
is  a  good  horseman  and  has  light  hands.  The  majority  of 
coachmen  employ  severe  types  of  bits  because  the  degree  of 
severity  of  the  bit  is  generally  supposed  to  indicate  the 
extent  of  the  servant's  proficiency,  and  the  contortions  of  the 
irritated  or  tortured  animal  are  mistaken  for  natural  showy 
action  and  high  spirits.  Another  explanation  for  the  aver- 
age servant's  predilection  for  such  bits  may  be  found  in  the 
fact  that  he  has  so  deadened  the  horse's  mouth  by  heavy 
handling  that  a  sharp  bit  is  required  in  order  to  hold 
the  horse.  For  the  types  of  bits  recommended  by  the  writer 
see  Chapter  X. 

"  It  is  a  somewhat  noteworthy  fact  that  when  a  horse  owner  drives  him- 
self in  a  buggy  or  a  phaeton  a  severe  bit  is  seldom  seen ;  but  directly  we 
turn  to  landaus  and  broughams,  and  to  all  vehicles  driven  by  coachmen  in 
livery,  we  find  high  ports  and  horses  driven  very  frequently  on  the  bottom 
bar." — London  Live  Stock  Journal. 


484        ADJUSTING  THE  BIT  AND  THE  CURB-CHAIN. 
ADJUSTING    THE    BIT. 

The  position  of  the  bit  in  the  horse's  mouth  will  be  regu- 
lated by  the  reader's  preference  for  one  of  two  arguments 
advanced  by  authorities.  The  first,  that  there  is  one  and 
only  one  position  at  which  point  the  bit  can  be  made  to  act 
most  effectively ;  the  other  theory  is  that  the  bit  should  be 
shifted  from  time  to  time  within  a  limited  range,  with  the 
object  of  retaining  the  natural  sensitiveness  of  the  mouth. 
The  writer's  preference  is  in  favor  of  the  former  principle, 
as  the  shifting  of  the  angle  of  the  horse's  head  changes  the 
point  of  bearing  sufficiently  to  "keep  the  mouth  "  alive,"  and 
having  instructed  the  servants  as  to  the  exact  position  the 
bit  shall  occupy,  any  failure  to  comply  with  such  orders  is 
at  once  apparent. 

A  bit  with  a  solid  mouth-piece  or  a  jointed  snaffie  when 
used  alone  should  be  adjusted  so  that  the  canons  of  the  bit 
fall  within  half  or  three-quarters  of  an  inch  of  the  tushes  of 
a  gelding  and  within  an  inch  or  an  inch  and  a  quarter  above 
the  end  nippers  of  a  mare.  When  a  bridoon  is  used  it 
should  be  placed  so  that  it  touches  the  corners  of  the  lips, 
but  does  not  wrinkle  them. 

"  The  mouth- piece  of  a  curb,  as  directed  by  Colonel  Greenwood  in  his 
excellent  book,  '  Hints  on  Horsemanship,'  should  be  placed  so  that  it  may 
be  just  clear  of  the  tushes  of  the  horse,  or  about  one  inch  above  the  corner 
nippers  of  a  mare  ;  in  fact  as  low  as  possible  without  involving  the  danger 
of  the  curb-chain  slipping  over  the  animal's  chin."  —  Captain  Hayes, 
"  Riding,"  p.  239. 

THE    CURB-CHAIN. 

The  end  link  of  the  chain  on  the  off  side  should  be 
fastened  to  the  hook,  the  other  end  of  the  chain  should  not 
be  fastened  until  after  the  bit  has  been  placed  in  the  horse's 


THE  BEARING-REIN.  485 

mouth  ;  when  the  chain  should  be  twisted  over  the  forefin- 
ger to  the  right  until  all  the  links  lie  flat.  In  hooking  up 
the  end,  the  chain  should  be  brought  back  of  the  canon  of 
the  curb  bit,  but  in  front  of  the  bridoon  bit.  The  end  link 
of  the  loose  end  should  be  fastened  first,  and  then  the  chain 
shortened  by  hooking  another  link  over  the  first  one.  The 
links  should  be  taken  up  equally  on  both  sides.  When  the 
chain  is  in  place  the  links  should  lie  perfectly  flat,  the  pen- 
dent link  in  the  centre  of  chains  for  riding  bits  should  be 
on  the  side  toward  the  chin.  If  the  chain  is  fastened  so 
that  two  fingers  can  be  placed  between  the  chain  and  the 
jaw,  the  chain  will  be  found  tight  enough  for  the  average 
horse.  The  larger  and  closer  the  links  the  less  severe  will 
be  the  action  of  the  chain.  The  severity  of  curb-chains  may 
be  further  lessened  by  means  of  a  leather  covering,  but 
leather  straps  should  never  be  substituted,  as  no  dependence 
can  be  placed  on  their  strength,  and  they  are  consequently 
very  dangerous.  A  curb-chain  may  be  made  more  severe 
by  untwisting  six  or  more  of  the  links. 

THE    BEARING-REIN. 

In  the  use  of  the  bearing-rein  it  must  be  understood  that 
the  horse's  action  is  largely  determined  by  the  angle  at 
which  his  head  is  carried.  If  the  bearing-rein  holds  the 
horse's  head  too  high,  the  action  will  be  higher  and  shorter 
reaching  than  if  carried  naturally ;  while  on  the  other  hand 
if  the  animal  is  allowed  to  throw  his  head  down  and  out, 
greater  weight  is  brought  on  the  fore  legs,  with  the  result 
that  the  action  is  low  and  uncollected.  The  cruelty  of 
drawing  a  horse's  head  unnaturally  high,  or  higher  than  the 
conformation  of  the  neck  comfortably  allows,  has  resulted  in 


486     PREPARATIONS  FOR  TURNING  OUT  A   VEHICLE. 

a  misconception  of  the  true  use  of  this  part  of  the  harness, 
and  has  caused  a  general  condemnation  of  the  bearing-rein. 
In  the  first  place,  a  bearing-rein  should  never  be  employed 
to  hold  a  horse's  head  higher  than  he  naturally  carries 
it;  second,  the  horse  should  not  be  abruptly  deprived  of  the 
opportunities  of  relaxing  the  muscles,  such  as  are  afforded 
by  dropping  the  head  from  time  to  time.  The  angle  at 
which  the  horse  naturally  carries  his  head  should  be  noted, 
and  when  the  bearing-rein  is  put  on  it  should  be  adjusted 
so  that  there  will  be  some  slack  in  the  rein.  If  one  of  a 
pair  carries  his  head  lower  than  his  mate,  the  former  should 
not  have  his  head  drawn  up  by  the  bearing-rein  to  a  corre- 
sponding height.  For  the  first  week  or  ten  days'  train- 
ing the  bearing-rein  should  not  be  kept  hooked  up  for 
more  than  ten  or  fifteen  minutes  during  the  early  part  of 
the  time,  but  later  it  may  be  kept  on  from  fifteen  minutes 
to  half  an  hour. 

PREPARATIONS    FOR   TURNING    OUT   A   VEHICLE. 

As  a  preface  to  the  following  remarks  it  may  not  be  out 
of  place  to  state  that  when  a  stable  servant  receives  an  order 
for  a  carriage  at  a  certain  hour  he  should  carefully  note  the 
time,  the  carriage  desired,  whether  for  two  men  on  the  box, 
and  the  address  if  the  owner  is  to  be  called  for  at  some 
house  other  than  his  own.  Should  a  servant  be  liable  to 
forget  or  become  confused,  he  should  fortify  himself  against 
making  an  error  by  jotting  the  order  down  on  a  slate  or  a 
pad.  The  pleasure  of  having  a  private  turn-out  is  largely 
due  to  the  ability  the  owner  has  of  commanding  it  when  and 
how  it  pleases  his  fancy ;  and  if  the  stable  servant,  through 
constant  mistakes,  converts  a  luxury  into  a  source  of  annoy- 


PREPARATIONS  FOR  TURNING  OUT  A   VEHICLE.     487 

ance,  he  should  have  sense  enough  to  realize  that  he  en- 
dangers his  own  position. 

First  run  the  carriage  or  cart  into  place.  If  a  pole  is  to 
be  used  it  should  be  put  in  and  secured  with  the  pole  pin. 
The  vehicle  should  then  be  thoroughly  dusted,  and  the  whip, 
robes  and  the  servant's  gloves  put  in  place.  The  shutters 
of  closed  carriages  should  be  drawn  up  until  the  vehicle 
arrives  at  the  owner's  house,  when  they  are  let  down  and  the 
glass  windows  drawn  up.  The  livery,  if  one  is  to  be  worn, 
should  be  taken  out  and  carefully  brushed.  In  threatening 
weather  the  waterproof  coats,  hat  coverings  and  woollen 
gloves  should  be  placed  in  the  boot  under  the  box  seat 
and  the  carriage  umbrella  secured  by  the  straps  which  hold 
the  apron  against  the  dasher. 

When  an  order  is  given  for  a  pair  and  brougham,  victoria 
or  mail  phaeton,  with  the  coachman  in  livery,  the  stable  ser- 
vant, if  he  has  to  work  single  handed,  should  allow  an  hour. 
A  brougham,  victoria,  with  one  horse,  or  a  tandem  or  a  coun- 
try trap  with  a  pair  should  be  turned  out  under  similar  cir- 
cumstances in  three-quarters  of  an  hour.  For  a  single  trap, 
such  as  a  buggy,  two  wheeler  or  country  vehicle  with  the 
servant  in  whipcord  livery,  half  an  hour  is  ample  time.  To 
saddle  a  horse  for  either  lady  or  gentleman  from  fifteen  to 
twenty  minutes  is  sufficient.  When  there  are  two  or  more 
men  in  the  stable  the  time  required  to  turn  out  a  carriage  will 
be  lessened  by  about  fifteen  minutes.  This  estimate  is  based 
on  the  work  of  men  who  have  had  the  various  parts  of  an 
equipage  in  a  condition  to  be  used  when  starting  to  turn  out 
a  trap,  and  who  have  not  had  to  groom  a  horse,  clean  the 
harness  or  oil  the  wheels  as  a  part  of  the  work,  which  such 
matters  should  not  be  under  any  ordinary  circumstances. 


488  SADDLING. 

PREPARING    A    HORSE    FOR    THE    SADDLE    OR    HARNESS. 

The  horses  should  be  backed  out  of  the  stall  with  the 
blanket  and  head-collar  on  and  fastened  to  a  pair  of  pillar- 
reins.  First,  the  feet  should  be  picked  out,  the  straws,  etc., 
dropped  into  a  basket  and  not  on  the  floor ;  second,  the  eyes, 
nostrils,  mouth  and  parts  under  the  tail  should  be  washed 
out  with  a  clean  sponge,  and  afterwards  dried  with  a  rubber ; 
third,  the  blanket  should  now  be  removed  and  folded  over 
the  blanket  pole,  and  the  horse's  coat  laid  smooth  with  a 
rubber  or  chamois.  If  the  owner  approves  of  varnishing  the 
hoofs,  this  part  of  the  work  should  now  be  done  in  order  to 
give  the  coating  time  to  set. 

SADDLING. 

The  saddle  should  be  prepared  in  the  harness 
or  cleaning  room  by  being  dusted,  the  girths 
buckled  on  the  off  side,  i.  e.,  the  right-hand  side, 
and  the  girths  either  laid  over  the  seat  of  the 
saddle  or  kept  from  dangling  by  being  folded  be- 
tween the  flap  and  the  sweat-flap.  The  stirrup 
leathers  should  be  run  through  the  stirrups  and  attached  to 
the  spring-bars  —  the  latter  should  always  be  left  open  — 
and  the  stirrups  drawn  up  out  of  the  way  on  the  under  sec- 
tion of  the  stirrup  leather.  A  man's  saddle  should  be 
carried  on  the  right  forearm  with  the  pommel  toward  the 
hand.  A  woman's  saddle  may  be  carried  in  the  same  man- 
ner or  on  the  servant's  head.  A  horse  should  never  be 
saddled  in  the  stall  or  placed  in  one  with  a  saddle  on,  as 
the  chances  are  that  the  servant  will  turn  the  horse  in  the 
narrow  space,  and  in  so  doing  spread  the  tree  of  the  saddle. 
The  saddle  should  be  laid  on  the  horse's  back  so  that  the 


SADDLING.  489 

pommel  covers  the  point  of  the  withers  and  then  drawn  back 
so  as  to  leave  the  point  of  the  withers  exposed  and  clear  of 
the  movement  of  the  shoulder  blade.  By  this  means  the 
correct  position  of  the  saddle  may  be  had  without  any  dan- 
ger of  disturbing  the  hair  beneath  the  saddle.  If  a  numnah 
or  saddle  cloth  is  used,  the  servant  should  draw  the  front 
and  back  ends  well  up  against  the  pommel  and  cantle  with 
the  forefingers.  The  broad  under  girth  should  be  drawn 
up  moderately  tight  and  buckled.  Care  must  be  taken  not 
to  catch  any  folds  of  the  skin ;  this  may  easily  be  avoided 
by  extending  the  forefingers  under  each  side  of  the  girth 
and  running  them  down  first  on  the  near  and  then  on  the 
off  side.  If  a  breast-plate  or  running  martingale  is  to  be 
used  it  should  be  put  on  before  the  saddle  and  the  broad 
under  girth  placed  through  the  loop.  The  narrow  girth 
should  pass  over  and  not  through  the  loop. 

The  saddle  being  adjusted,  the  head-collar  should  be 
taken  off  and  hung  on  a  peg.  The  curb-chain  and  throat- 
latch  of  the  bridle  loosened  and  the  reins  looped  over  the 
left  forearm,  the  bridle  is  then  raised  by  the  right  hand 
carrying  the  crown-piece  up  in  front  of  the  horse's  face 
until  the  bit  comes  in  a  position  to  be  inserted  in  the 
horse's  mouth  with  the  left  hand  The  horse  may  be 
steadied  by  holding  his  forelock  with  the  right  hand.  The 
crown-piece  is  now  carried  over  the  horse's  ears  and  dropped 
into  place  behind  them.  The  throat-latch  should  not  be 
tightly  fastened,  merely  short  enough  to  prevent  it  from 
slipping  over  the  horse's  jaw.  The  left-hand  figure  on 
p.  241  shows  the  throat. latch  properly  adjusted.  When  a 
running  martingale  is  used,  stops  should  never  be  omitted. 

If  the  horse  is  not  used  immediately  a  head-collar  should 


490  HARNESSING. 

be  slipped  over  the  bridle  and  the  horse  fastened  by  a 
pair  of  pillar-reins,  and  a  blanket  or  sheet  put  on  inside  out. 
When  the  horse  is  to  be  mounted  the  under  girth  should  be 
taken  up  a  hole  or  two  and  the  narrow  outer  girth  buckled 
up.  The  girths  should  not  be  drawn  so  tight  as  to  cause 
discomfort  to  the  horse,  nor  left  so  loose  as  to  allow  any 
possibility  of  the  saddle  shifting.  Owing  to  the  one-sided 
pressure  exerted  on  a  lady's  saddle,  the  girths  must  be 
buckled  a  hole  or  two  tighter  than  those  for  a  man's  saddle. 
The  flap  girth  of  a  lady's  saddle  should  not,  however,  be 
drawn  very  tight.  When  the  horse  is  to  be  mounted  the 
servant  should  draw  the  stirrups  down  into  place,  at  the 
same  time  giving  the  leathers  a  twist  so  that  the  stirrup  will 
hang  nearly  at  right  angles  with  the  body  of  the  horse. 
The  ends  of  the  leathers  look  neater  when  turned  under 
and  drawn  parallel  with  and  close  to  the  skirt  of  the  saddle. 
When  a  person  is  mounting  the  groom  should  hold  the 
horse  by  the  bridoon  reins  alone  with  the  right  hand  near 
the  rings  of  the  bit,  and  with  the  left  hand  bear  his  full  weight 
on  the  off  side  stirrup  leather  so  as  to  counteract  the  down- 
ward pull  exerted  on  the  near  side  by  the  rider  in  mounting. 
When  the  rider  has  taken  his  place  in  the  saddle  the  servant 
should  continue  his  hold  of  the  reins  and  assist  the  rider  to 
catch  the  stirrups  ;  having  done  this,  he  should  stand  by 
until  the  rider  indicates  that  he  is  ready  to  start. 

HARNESSING. 

In  harnessing  the  old  saying  should  be  borne  in  mind 
that  "  a  team  well  harnessed  and  put  together  is  half  driven." 
The  horse  having  been  made  ready  as  described  on  p.  488, 
the  harness  should  be  dusted  and  the  metal  parts  rubbed 


HARNESSING—  THE  SADDLE.  491 

over  with  a  black  chamois.  In  taking  the  harness  from  the 
cleaning  room  to  the  stall  part  the  servant  should  first  take 
the  saddle,  second  the  collar  without  the  hames,  and  the 
bridle,  and  then  the  hames  and  reins.  If  all  the  tackle  is 
taken  at  once  it  is  more  than  a  man  can  conveniently  han- 
dle, and  the  result  is  that  parts  are  now  and  then  dropped 
or  scratched.  By  taking  the  parts  in  the  order  named  the 


FIG.     226. 

harness  can  be  placed  directly  on  the  horse,  thus  saving  the 
wear  and  tear  of  being  flung  on  a  hook  or  peg  and  pulled 
off  a  moment  or. two  later.  Any  holes  that  may  be  required 
in  adjusting  the  harness  may  be  made  with  a  leather  punch. 
(See  Fig.  226.) 

THE    SADDLE. 

The  saddle  should  be  placed  on  the  horse's  back  near 
the  loins  to  give  the  crupper-strap  enough  slack  so  that  the 
crupper  may  be  carried  over  the  end  of  the  horse's  tail. 
Care  must  be  taken,  in  drawing  the  crupper  under  the  dock, 
not  to  catch  any  hairs  between  the  crupper  and  the  horse's 
quarters.  The  saddle  should  be  lifted  clear  of  the  back  and 
carried  forward  into  place.  The  crupper-strap  should  be 


492  HARNESSING— THE  COLLAR  AND  BRIDLE. 

adjusted  so  that  it  will  hold  the  crupper  firmly  under  the 
dock,  and  prevent  the  buckle  from  flapping  against  the  horse's 
back.  The  pad-girth  should  be  drawn  tight  when  the  vehicle 
used  is  a  two-wheeler,  or  when  no  breeching  is  used  with  a 
light  four-wheeled  carriage.  The  loop  of  the  breast-plate 
or  standing  martingale  should  be  held  by  the  pad-girth, 
and  not  by  the  tug-strap  girth  nor  trace-girth.  In  pair- 
horse  harness  the  traces  should  be  detached  from  the 
saddle  before  the  latter  is  put  on.  In  single  harness  the 
breeching-seat  should  not  be  placed  so  low  that  the  horse 
can  sit  on  it,  nor  so  high  as  to  endanger  its  slipping  up  over 
the  quarters. 

THE    COLLAR. 

The  servant  should  remove  the  head-collar,  and  hang  it 
up,  and,  with  the  bridle  looped  over  the  left  arm,  take  the 
collar  in  both  hands,  turn  it  upside  down  and  place  it  care- 
fully over  the  horse's  head.  If  it  catches  against  the  eye 
bones  don't  push  it  over;  take  it  off  and  stretch  it  by  placing 
the  left  knee  against  the  inside  and  draw  up  with  the  right 
hand  on  the  opposite  side.  Leave  the  collar  turned  upside 
down  on  the  horse's  neck  until  the  hames  are  fastened  in 
place.  Each  horse  should  have  his  own  collar  and  none 
other  used. 

THE    BRIDLE. 

The  curb-chain  and  throat-latch  should  first  be  loosened 
and  then  the  bridle  raised  by  the  crown-piece  with  the  right 
hand  until  the  bit  is  brought  in  a  position  to  be  inserted  in 
the  horse's  mouth  with  the  left  hand.  The  horse  may  be 
steadied  by  holding  him  by  the  forelock  with  the  right  hand. 
The  crown-piece  is  now  carried  over  the  horse's  ears  and 


HARNESSING— THE  HAMES  AND  REINS.  493 

dropped  into  place  behind  them,  and  the  throat-latch  loosely 
fastened.  The  winkers  should  be  adjusted  by  the  upper 
buckles  of  the  cheek-pieces  so  that  the  centre  of  the  winker 
is  in  line  with  the  horse's  eye.  The  bit  should  be  placed 
as  described  on  p.  484.  Care  must  be  taken  to  have  all 
the  point-straps  on  both  sides  in  corresponding  holes. 

THE    HAMES. 

The  hames  should  be  brought  from  the  cleaning  room 
with  the  hame-strap  unbuckled  and  placed  on  the  collar  with 
the  hame-chain  or  kidney-link  on  top.  The  hame-strap 
should  then  be  drawn  firmly  against  the  collar  so  that  the 
hames  cannot  be  pulled  away  from  the  groove.  The  point 
of  the  hame-strap  in  pair-horse  harness  should  be  on  the 
nigh  side  of  the  off  horse  and  on  the  off  side  of  the  nigh 
horse,  i.  e.,  so  that  the  points  of  the  straps  will  be  toward  the 
pole.  The  traces  should  be  thrown  diagonally  over  the 
horse's  back  and  in  pair-horse  harness  the  outside  trace 
of  each  horse  should  be  thrown  over  the  inside  one. 

THE    REINS. 

The  billets  of  the  reins  should  now  be  run  through  the 
pad  and  hame  terrets  and  fastened  to  the  bit.  The  buckle 
of  the  hand-piece  should  be  on  the  near  rein,  and  the  end  of 
this  rein  should  be  thrown  over  the  horse's  back  to  the  off 
side,  where  it  is  buckled  to  the  other  rein,  and  the  two 
doubled  and  run  through  the  off  pad-terret.  In  pair-horse 
harness  the  billet  of  the  coupling-rein  should  be  fastened 
to  the  under  side  of  the  nose-band  with  the  buckle  up  and 
the  point  of  the  billet  fastened  into  the  buckle,  and  not 
passed  through  the  keeper.  The  near  rein  with  the  buckle 


494  BLANKETING  AND  PUTTING  ON  LIVERY. 

on  the  hand-piece  is  thrown  over  the  off  horse's  back  and 
fastened  as  described  above.  A  coupling-ring  should  not 
be  used  except  with  a  neck-yoke.  The  bearing  or  check 
rein  ought  not  to  be  drawn  up  until  the  horse  is  taken  from 
the  stall  part. 

BLANKETING. 

If  the  carriage  has  to  be  drawn  into  place,  or  the  servant 
to  put  on  his  livery,  a  blanket  or  sheet,  according  to  the 
temperature,  should  be  thrown  inside  out  over  the  horse. 

PUTTING    ON    LIVERY. 

Poorly  fashioned  articles  of  clothing  can  never  be  made 
to  look  well ;  but  when  put  on  by  a  clever  coachman  or  groom, 
they  will  appear  better  than  those  of  finer  make  "  thrown 
on  "  by  a  careless  or  ignorant  servant.  If  liveries  are  slouch- 
ily  put  on  it  makes  but  little  difference  whether  they  be  of 
good  cut  or  not,  the  smart  effect  is  lost.  Therefore  a  ser- 
vant should  learn  the  art  of  getting  the  most  out  of  his 
clothes;  to  do  which  he  must  keep  them  in  good  condition 
and  know  when  they  are  correctly  put  on.  A  servant  when 
dressing  should  keep  the  following  points  in  mind : 

The  seam  on  the  outer  sides  of  the  breeches  should  be 
drawn  toward  the  front  of  the  leg  near  the  knee  so  that  the 
top  button  fits  in  the  hollow  just  under  the  knee  cap  and 
beside  the  shin  bone.  The  buttons  should  extend  in  a  per- 
fectly straight  line  along  the  outside  of  the  shin  bone.  The 
slovenly  effect  of  a  long  breeches  knee  should  be  avoided 
by  drawing  the  breeches  up  tightly  under  the  knee  so  that 
the  top  button  fits  into  the  hollow  as  described  above.  The 
boots  should  be  highly  polished  and  drawn  up  so  that  the 


"PUTTING  TO"  A  SINGLE  HORSE.  495 

four  top  buttons  of  the  breeches  show  above  the  boot  tops. 
The  scarf  should  be  immaculate  and  so  fastened  in  the  front 
and  back  that  it  cannot  ride  up  over  the  collar  nor  become 
twisted  to  one  side.  The  coat  and  waistcoat  should  be 
carefully  brushed  and  in  turn  drawn  snugly  into  place.  The 
former  should  not  be  put  on  until  the  last  moment.  The 
hat  should  be  brushed  and  put  on  perfectly  straight,  not 
with  a  tilt  to  the  side  or  back.  The  servant  should  never 
be  allowed  to  wear  ordinary  trousers  in  place  of  the  livery 
ones.  When  the  servant  wears  leggings  he  should  fasten  the 
loop  (which  is  sewed  under  the  two  top  buttons)  to  the  third 
or  fourth  button  of  the  breeches.  The  legging,  being  fastened 
on  the  outer  side  of  the  shin  bone,  should  then  be  passed 
around  back  of  the  leg  from  the  outside,  and  after  fastening 
the  rear  loop  to  a  button  at  the  back  of  the  calf,  the  legging 
should  be  carried  around  to  the  front  and  buttoned.  The 
angle  formed  by  the  rounded  corners  at  the  bottom  should 
fall  over  the  instep.  A  common  mistake  is  in  putting  the  left 
legging  on  the  right  leg  and  vice  versa,  so  that  the  flap  near 
the  buttons  points  forward  instead  of  backward. 

''PUTTING  TO"  A  SINGLE  HORSE. 

In  single  harness  the  shaft  ends  should  be  run  through 
the  tugs  first  and  then  the  traces  fastened.  The  length  of 
the  traces  should  be  adjusted  so  that  the  horse  is  as  near 
the  carriage  as  possible  without  any  chance  of  hitting  any 
part  of  it  with  the  quarters,  hocks  or  feet.  The  tug-girth 
for  four-wheeled  vehicles  should  be  fastened  tight  enough  to 
hold  the  shafts  firmly  in  place,  but  not  so  as  to  draw  them 
together.  For  two-wheelers  the  tug-girth  should  be  moder- 
ately loose  in  order  to  give  the  shafts  free  play ;  if  the  girth 


496 


'PUTTING  TO  "  A  SINGLE  HORSE. 


is  buckled  so  as  to  fall  a  couple  of  inches  under  the  pad- 
girth  sufficient  play  will  be  given.  The  breeching  should  be 
fastened  so  that  it  can  be  drawn  three  or  four  inches  back 
from  the  quarters  when  the  traces  are  taut.  There  are  sev- 
eral ways  of  fastening  or  "  wrapping  "  the  breeching-straps. 
The  method  preferred  by  the  writer  is  as  follows :  Carry 
the  point  of  the  strap  under  the  trace  and  shaft,  a  few  inches 
front  of  the  leather  loop  on  the  shaft,  wrap  the  strap 


in 


around  the  shaft,  turning  the  point  toward  the  shaft  end 


FIG.    227. 

until  sufficient  slack  has  been  taken  up,  then  carry  the  point 
back  and  through  the  loop  on  the  shaft  from  the  outside  and 
thence  under  the  trace  to  the  buckle  of  the  breeching-strap. 
When  the  kicking-strap  is  merely  used  for  ornamental 
purposes  it  is  placed  between  the  flat  portion  of  the  crupper 
and  the  crupper-strap  under  the  two  end  keepers ;  but  to  be 
effective  in  preventing  a  horse  from  kicking,  the  strap  should 
be  placed  over  the  lower  part  of  the  rump  near  the  dock 


"PUTTING  TO"  A  PAIR.  497 

and  the  loops  fastened  to  the  shafts  so  that  the  ends  of  the 
kicking-strap  are  at  right  angles  with  the  ground.  In  fast- 
ening the  strap  sufficient  play  should  be  allowed  to  prevent 
any  risk  of  impeding  the  movement  of  the  horse  when  in 
action. 

"  PUTTING    TO  "    A    PAIR. 

In  "  putting  to  "  a  pair  the  taller  horse  should  be  placed 
on  the  near  side,  and  the  chance  of  the  horses  running  back 
against  the  splinter-bars  and  kicking  guarded  against  by 
first  temporarily  fastening  the  pole-pieces  or  chains  some- 
what longer  than  they  are  to  be  when  finally  poled  up,  then 


FIG.    228. 

attach  the  outside  traces,  after  which  the  inside  traces  should 
be  fastened  and  the  horses  poled  up.  The  traces  should  be 
adjusted  so  as  to  bring  the  horses  as  near  the  carriage  as  is 
practical,  and  if  there  is  any  dissimilarity  in  the  length  of 
the  horses  the  traces  of  the  shorter  one  should  be  let  out. 
The  collars  of  the  horses  should  be  parallel  with  each  other, 
no  matter  what  the  difference  in  the  length  of  the  horses 
may  be.  Care  should  be  taken  to  have  the  holes  in  the 
trace  ends  the  same  distance  apart,  each  trace  of  a  pair  should 
be  of  exactly  the  same  length.  In  poling  up  the  length  of 


498  "PUTTING  TO"  A  PAIR. 

the  pole-pieces  or  chains  should  correspond,  and  both  should 
be  somewhat  slack  when  the  traces  are  taut,  so  that  the 
collar  fits  snugly  against  the  shoulders. 

The  majority  of  stable  servants  fasten  the  pole-pieces  or 
chains  too  tight  or  too  loose,  and  twist  the  former  and 
leave  a  few  links  of  the  latter  dangling.  The  kidney-link 
ring  should  be  held  at  right  angles  with  the  kidney-link, 
and  the  point  of  the  pole-piece  brought  through  the  ring 
from  the  inside  so  that  the  buckle  lies  parallel  with  the  eye 
of  the  pole  top  or  crab.  (See  Fig.  228.)  In  fastening  pole- 
chains  one  end  of  the  chain  should  be  attached  by  the  snap 
hook  to  the  ring  of  the  pole-top  snap  outward ;  and  the  other 
end  carried  through  the  kidney-link  ring  from  the  inside, 
and  if  not  long  enough  to  allow  the  snap  hook  to  extend  to 
the  pole-top  ring,  the  hook  may  be  caught  in  one  of  the 
links,  or  if  too  long  the  end  of  the  chain  should  be  run 
through  the  pole-top  ring  from  the  outside,  and  the  hook 
fastened  into  one  of  the  links.  The  dropping  of  one  or 
more  links  so  that  they  rattle  about  when  the  horses  are  in 
motion  is  indicative  of  ignorance  or  vulgarity,  or  of  both. 
When  a  neck-yoke  is  used  on  a  light  country  trap  the  kid. 
ney-link  ring  should  be  omitted  and  the  point  of  the  neck- 
yoke  strap,  after  being  run  through  the  metal  loop  on  the 
neck-yoke  toward  the  collar,  carried  around  the  kidney-link 
from  the  under  side,  so  that  when  the  point  is  fastened  in 
the  buckle  the  latter  lies  parallel  with  the  ground. 

In  single  harness  the  reins  should  be  left  in  the  position 
described  under  "harnessing."  In  pair-horse  harness  the 
coupling-reins  should  be  unbuckled  from  the  nose-band  and 
the  rein  of  the  near  horse  crossed  over  and  fastened  into 
the  bit  of  the  off  horse  and  vice  versa.  When  a  coupling- 


TANDEM,  499 

ring  is  used  it  should  be  fastened  to  one  of  the  billets  of  .the 
coupling  reins  when  the  horses  are  being  harnessed  and  later 
slipped  over  the  rein  to  which  it  is  attached,  and  the  billet 
of  the  other  coupling-rein  run  through  it.  When  one  horse 
of  a  pair  carries  his  head  higher  than  his  mate  or  is  in:  the 
habit  of  throwing  his  head  up  and  down,  the  coupling-rein 
which  is  attached  to  his  bit  should  be  placed  over  the  other 
coupling-rein.  : 

If  buxton  or  gig  bits  are  used  the  bearing-rein  should 
be  drawn  up  and  fastened  as  soon  as  the  horses  are  put  to. 
Unless  this  precaution  is  taken  there  is  a  possibility  of  the 
horse  catching  the  bar  at  the  bottom  of  the  bit  over  the 
pole  top,  in  the  event  of  which  there  is  every  likelihood  that 
a  "  vet  "  carriage  builder  and  harness  maker  will  have  to  ;be 
called  in  to  repair  the  damage.  If  an  interfering  boot  is  to 
be  used  it  should  be  strapped  in  place  as  soon  as  the  horse 
is  put  to.  If  the  horses  are  to  remain  any  length  of  time 
before  being  used,  they  should  either  be  secured  by  tie  reins 
or  a  servant  should  stand  at  their  heads.  ;.  ,-.. 

TANDEM. 

In  putting  to  a  tandem  the  leader's  traces  should  be 
about  nine  feet  six  inches  long,  measured  from  the  point  at 
the  end  of  the  hame-tug  to  the  snap  hook.  If  the  traces 
are  much  longer  they  are  apt  to  fall  under  the  horse's  hind 
legs,  and  if  much  shorter  the  fore  legs  of  the  wheel  horse 
are  apt  to  become  crossed,  owing  to  the  pressure  of  one  or 
the  other  of  the  leader's  traces  when  making  a  sharp  turn. 
White's  lead  bars  are  recommended  to  beginners,  as  by  the 
use  of  these  bars  shorter  lead  traces  may  be  used,  which  ren- 
ders the  possibility  of  the  leader  getting  a  leg  over  the  traces 


500  FOUR-IN-HAND. 

less  likely.  The  leader's  reins  should  be  carried  through 
the  terrets  on  the  wheeler's  bridle  and  the  top  section 
of  the  wheeler's  pad-terrets.  Owing  to  the  danger  of 
the  lead-reins  catching,  in  case  the  leader  breaks  away,  the 
buckle  on  the  hand-piece  of  the  lead-reins  should  be 
omitted,  and  the  ends  held  together  by  means  of  one  or 
more  keepers  on  one  rein  and  the  end  of  the  other  passed 
through  them.  The  off  wheel  rein  should  be  held  between 
the  second  and  third  fingers,  the  near  wheel-rein  between  the 
third  and  fore  finger;  the  off  lead-rein  on  top  of  the  near 
wheel-rein,  and  the  near  lead-rein  over  the  forefinger.  If 
the  driver  is  on  the  box  when  the  leader  is  put  in  the  ser- 
vant should  run  the  leader's  reins  through  the  terrets  and 
hand  them  to  the  driver,  before  fastening  the  traces,  and 
when  taking  the  leader  out  under  similar  conditions,  the 
traces  should  be  unhooked  before  the  driver  allows  the  lead- 
reins  to  be  withdrawn.  When  a  servant  is  left  in  charge  of 
a  tandem  he  should  stand  on  the  off  side  at  the  head  of  the 
wheeler  and  hold  the  lead-reins  at  this  point. 

FOUR-IN-HAND. 

The  putting  to  of  the  wheelers  is  similar  to  pair-horse 
work,  except  that  if  the  inner  roller  bolt  is  not  made  a  trifle 
larger  than  the  outer  one,  the  inside  traces  should  be  made 
half  a  hole  shorter  than  the  outer  ones. 

"  The  wheelers  should  be  poled  up  so  that  they  do  not  come  far  enough 
back  to  touch  the  footboard  when  stopping  the  coach  or  holding  it  back 
going  down  hill,  but  to  place  them  more  than  a  foot  beyond  entails  waste 
of  power.  The  leaders,  when  standing  up  to  their  collars,  should  be  so  far 
in  front  of  their  bars  that  their  tails,  if  long  enough,  should  just  clear  them 
when  in  action."  — Major  Dixon,  "  Driving"  Badminton  Library, p.  ///. 


MOUNTING,  POSITION  ON  THE  BOX,  ETC.  501 

The  inside  and  outside  traces  of  the  leaders  should  be  of 
equal  length  and  the  ends  of  the  inner  traces  lapped  (one 
trace  end  passed  under  and  over  the  other  trace  before  being 
fastened  to  the  lead-bar)  or  crossed  (the  trace  of  the  off 
leader  fastened  to  the  lead-bars  of  the  near  horse  and  vice- 
versa).  When  neither  of  these  methods  is  employed  it  is  cus- 
tomary to  fasten  the  inner  ends  of  the  lead-bars  together, 
for  which  purpose  a  strap  should  be  used  and  not  a  chain, 
as  the  latter  often  prevents  the  bars  from  being  readily  sepa- 
rated in  case  of  accident.  The  lead-reins  should  be  so  made 
that  the  buckles  of  the  coupling-reins  fall  six  or  eight  inches 
in  front  of  the  leaders'  tails.  If  they  come  farther  back  there 
is  great  risk  of  their  being  caught  in  the  terrets  of  the 
wheeler's  bridle.  The  reins  are  held  in  the  same  order  as 
for  tandem.  (See  preceding  page.)  When  servants  are  left 
in  charge  of  a  four  the  head  servant  should  stand  at  the 
wheeler's  head  on  the  off  side  and  the  groom  directly  in  front 
of  the  leaders.  The  same  order  of  putting  in  or  taking  out 
the  leaders  of  a  four,  when  the  driver  is  on  the  box,  should 
be  observed  as  is  described  under  paragraph  on  "  tandem." 

MOUNTING,    POSITION    ON    THE    BOX,    ETC. 

The  coachman,  before  mounting  the  box,  should  first 
stand  on  one  side  and  then  on  the  other  of  the  horse  or 
horses  and  carefully  note  whether  every  part  of  the  harness 
is  properly  adjusted.  The  most  important  considerations 
are: 

1.  The  proper  length  of  the  traces. 

2.  The  proper  length  of  the  breeching. 

3.  The  proper  length  of  the  crupper-strap. 

4.  The  proper  length  of  the  saddle-girth. 

5.  The  proper  length  of  the  tug-girth. 


502  MOUNTING,  POSITION  ON  THE  BOX,  ETC. 

Xt    -6.  The  proper  length  of  the  tugs. 

7.  The  proper  length  of  the  pole-pieces,  pole-chains,  neck  yoke-straps. 

8.  The  proper  length  of  the  bearing-rein. 

9.  The  proper  length  of  the  breast-plate. 

10.  The  proper  length  of  the  standing  martingale. 

11.  The  proper  length  of  the  coupling-reins. 

12.  The  proper  position  of  the  breeching-seat. 

13.  The  proper  position  of  the  saddle. 

14.  The  proper  position  of  the  collar. 

15.  The  proper  position  of  the  winkers. 

1 6.  The  proper  position  of  the  bit. 

i  7.     The  proper  position  of  the  billets  of  the  reins  in  the  bit. 

The  coachman,  having  satisfied  himself  that  nothing  is 
amiss,  should  stand  on  the  off  side,  take  the  reins  in  the  left 
hand,  the  near  rein  over  the  forefinger  and  the  off  rein  be- 
tween the  second  and  third  .fingers.  The  whip  should  then 
be1  •  held,  five  or  six  inches  from  the  end,  against  the  palm 
of  right  hand  by  the  thumb,  second  and  little  fingers.  The 
servant  should  then  step  back  until  he  is  in  line  with  the 
step  to  the  box  seat  or  fore  hub,  when  the  reins  should  be 
passed  into  the  right  hand  and  held  in  the  same  manner 
as  before.  The  coachman  is  now  free  to  use  his  left  hand 
in  grasping  the  rail  of  the  box  in  mounting.  Before  taking 
his  seat  he  should  draw  the  skirts  of  his  coat  down  close 
about  the  body  so  that  there  will  be  no  wrinkles  or  bulging 
folds  when  he  is  seated.  The  legs,  from  the  knees  to  the 
feet,  should  be  almost  vertical,  or  the  feet  advanced  a  trifle, 
the  heels  together  and  the  knees  from  four  to  six  inches 
apart.  There  is  a  theory  that  if  the  servant  balances  him- 
self on  the  outer  rim  of  the  box  and  draws  his  feet  in  so  that 
only  the  toes  of  his  feet  touch,  he  will  obtain  the  much  de- 
sired lightness  of  hand.  Whatever  little  he  may  gain  in  this 


POSITION  ON  THE  BOX  AND  DRIVING.  503 

respect  is  more  than  offset  by  the  fact  that  he  is  in  the  worst 
possible  position  to  cope  with  any  emergency.  This  ridicu- 
lous position  and  the  habit  some  servants  have  of  holding 
the  reins  in  imitation  of  a  counter  jumper  measuring  off  a 
yard  of  ribbon  are  more  the  product  of  fashion  than  of 
sense. 

The  coachman's  body  and  head  should  be  erect,  the 
shoulders  square,  and  the  elbows  close  to  the  sides.  When 
the  coachman  has  taken  his  seat  he  should  loop  the  end 
of  the  hand-pieces  at  the  buckle  over  the  little  finger  of 
the  left  hand,  with  the  buckle  facing  toward  the  horses; 
the  use  of  a  string  or  leather  loop  is  not  considered  "  the 
proper  thing  " ;  the  reins  are  then  transferred  back  to  the 
left  hand  in  the  position  described  above.  The  left  forearm 
should  be  held  in  a  horizontal  position,  the  wrist  bent 
slightly  inward  near  the  body  so  that  the  fingers,  from  the 
knuckles  to  the  first  joint,  are  parallel  with  the  body.  The 
right  arm  should  be  held  in  a  similar  position;  the  right 
hand  is  held  an  inch  or  so  away  and  slightly  above  the  left 
one,  and  the  thumb  is  bent  downward  so  that  the  whip,  when 
held  at  the  top  ferrule,  will  be  at  an  angle  of  about  thirty 
degrees. 

As  soon  as  the  coachman  is  ready  to  start  he  may  indi- 
cate the  fact  by  bringing  his  whip  up  to  a  perpendicular 
position,  and  nodding  to  the  other  servant  that  the  doors 
are  to  be  thrown  open.  In  starting  it  is  advisable  to  touch 
the  horses  lightly  with  the  whip,  as  they  are  less  likely  to 
make  unexpected  starts  by  mistaking  some  noise  for  the 
customary  click  of  the  tongue.  When  applying  the  whip 
the  servant  should  draw  the  lash  or  thong  across  the  horse's 
quarters  from  the  outside,  or  if  necessary  apply  the  lash  so 


504  DRIVING— GROOM'S  DUTIES. 

that  a  foot  or  more  hits  the  horse  ;  but  the  whip  should 
never  be  snapped  at  the  animal.  It  is  very  unworkmanlike 
to  keep  the  horses  up  to  their  work  by  clicking  or  calling 
to  them,  especially  in  the  city  where  the  noises  make  it 
necessary  to  shout  at  horses.  Another  common  error  in 
driving  is  the  jerking  of  the  reins  when  it  is  desired  to  in- 
crease the  speed.  This  custom  is  dangerous,  as  very  often 
when  there  is  need  of  abruptly  stopping  the  horse  he  mis- 
takes the  pressure  on  the  reins  to  mean  an  increase  in  the 
speed.  In  drawing  up  at  the  house  the  servant  should  know 
on  which  side  the  owner  desires  to  sit,  and  bring  the  car- 
riage around  in  such  a  position  that  if  a  gentleman  assists 
the  lady  into  the  carriage  he  will  not  have  to  pass  in  front 
of  her;  and  in  stopping  the  servant  should  bring  the  car- 
riage around  so  that  the  gentleman  may  alight  first.  When 
the  servant  is  about  to  turn  to  the  right  he  should  apprise 
the  drivers  following  him  by  circling  the  whip  lash  on  his 
right-hand  side,  and  if  turning  to  the  left  the  same  move- 
ment of  the  whip  should  be  made  on  the  left  hand.  If  the 
speed  is  to  be  materially  lessened  or  the  horses  stopped  the 
whip  lash  should  be  circled  over  the  coachman's  head. 

A  groom  should  take  the  same  position  as  that  described 
for  the  coachman,  with  the  exception  of  his  hands,  which 
should  be  placed  together,  palm  downward  against  the  inner 
sides  of  the  legs,  the  fingers  of  the  left  hand  over  those  of 
the  right  hand,  but  the  thumb  of  the  left  under  the  palm  of 
the  right  hand.  When  the  carriage  arrives  at  the  house  the 
groom  should  notify  the  house  servant  that  the  carriage  is 
waiting,  and  then  taking  the  robe  from  the  carriage,  stand 
a  little  forward  of  the  rear  hub,  with  the  robe  folded  over 
the  left  arm,  the  left  knee  slightly  bent,  the  heels  together, 


Is 

K     c 
DQ     -o 


=  1 

>    o 

8  I 

w  O 

> 
CC.      a 

II 

I  i 


GROOM'S  DUTIES.  505 

and  the  hands  against  the  body  on  a  line  with  the  waist 
seams  and  about  six  inches  apart.  As  soon  as  the  person 
for  whom  the  carriage  is  desired  approaches,  the  groom 
should  touch  his  hat  and  give  his  assistance  in  putting  the 
robe  in  place.  Upon  receiving  the  orders  for  the  coachman 
he  should  again  touch  his  hat  and  take  his  position  on  the 
box  seat.  When  calling  the  groom  should  take  the  owner's 

card  to  the  house,  and  ask  if  Mrs. is  "  receiving  "  or  is 

"at  home."  If  the  answer  is  in  the  affirmative  the  groom 
should  open  the  carriage  door,  and  after  the  owner  has  left 
the  carriage  the  robe  should  be  taken  out  and  folded  over 
the  left  arm.  If  the  horses  are  to  be  moved  about  while 
waiting,  the  groom  should  close  the  windows  if  the  carriage 
is  a  covered  one.  As  soon  as  the  owner  appears  the  groom 
should  signal  to  the  coachman  or  call  him  by  some  understood 
whistle.  The  coachman,  under  ordinary  conditions,  should 
not  be  more  than  a  hundred  yards  away,  and  the  groom 
should  always  remain  in  front  of  the  house  or  store.  If  the 
carriage  is  a  closed  one  the  groom  should  open  and  close  the 
door.  Upon  returning  home  the  groom  should  first  ring 
the  house  bell  and  then  stand  ready  to  open  the  carriage 
door  as  soon  as  that  of  the  house  is  opened.  When  a  ser- 
vant accompanies  a  person  in  a  two-wheeler  he  should  take 
his  place  beside  the  driver  and  not  behind,  unless  the  seat 
beside  the  box  is  occupied.  When  the  driver  stops  the  ser- 
vant should  jump  out,  go  to  the  horse's  head  and  stand,  with 
his  hands  together,  facing  the  horse.  While  the  driver  holds 
the  reins  the  servant  should  never  touch  them  unless  directed 
to  do  so. 

The  rudimentary  instructions,  methods  and  princples  of 
driving,  riding,  hunting  and  polo  are   such  comprehensive 


506  THE  USE  OF  A  CARRIAGE. 

subjects  that  even,  if  the  space  permitted  their  introduction, 
the  writer's  knowledge  of  these  matters  is  too  limited  to 
enable  him  to  present  them  in  a  thorough  manner,  and 
therefore  the  reader  is  referred  to  the  following  list  of 
very  instructive,  interesting  and  reliable  works  upon  these 
subjects : 

DRIVING. 

"  Driving."  -  —  Badminton  Library. 

"  Driving  as  I  Found  It." —  Frank  Swales. 

"  Driving  Lessons."  —  Edwin  Hewlett. 

"  An  Old  Coachman's  Chatter/'  — Edward  Corbett. 

RIDING. 

"  Riding." — Badminton  Library. 

"Practical  Horsemanship." — Charles  Brindley,  "Harry  Hieover." 

«  Riding."  —  M.  H.  Hayes. 

"The  Horsewoman." — A.  M.  Hayes. 

"  Hints  to  Horsewomen."  —  "  Mrs.  Harry  Allbutt." 

HUNTING. 

"  Hunting."  —  Badminton  Library. 

'•  Riding  on  the  Flat  and  Across  Country."  —  M.  H.  Hayes. 
"  Hunting  Field." — Charles  Brindley,  "Harry  Hieover." 
"  Riding  Recollections." —  G.  T.  Whyte  Melville. 

POLO. 

"Polo."--  Badminton  Library. 
"Modern  Polo."  — E.  D.  Miller. 
"  Polo."— T.  B.  Drybrough. 

THE    USE    OF    A    CARRIAGE. 

Most  of  the  advice  heretofore  given  has  called  for  dis- 
cretion on  the  part  of  the  servant ;  but  in  the  use  of  a  car- 
riage the  owner  or  his  family  may  unnecessarily  increase  the 
cost  of  maintaining  the  stable  to  a  very  considerable  amount 
by  the  unnecessary  misuse  of  an  equipage.  All  the  errors  to 


DISTANCE.  507 

which  owners  are  prone  cannot  be  pointed  out,  and  all  that 
can  be  done  and  is  required  is  the  use  of  common  sense, 
thoughtfulness  and  occasionally  a  little  self-sacrifice.  Charles 
Brindley  treats  of  this  subject  very  forcibly  in  "  The  Pocket 
and  the  Stud,"  pp.  187,  188,  as  follows: 

"  It  is  true  we  see  the  most  splendid  equipages  out  in  the  most  inclem- 
ent weather ;  but  what  are  they  doing  ?  Taking  their  lords  or  masters  to  or  from 
the  house,  to  dinner  or  a  party,  bringing  their  ladies  from  a  villa  to  the 
town  house,  or  to  a  dinner  or  party,  also.  The  pace  keeps  them  warm  while 
going,  they  set  down,  and  come  home,  and  are  dried.  There  are  other 
horses  and  other  horses,  if  wanted,  to  fetch  their  owners  back ;  but  we  do 
not  see  such  owners  starving  their  horses  and  servants,  cheapening  bonnets 
or  silks  at  half  a  dozen  different  shops.  Many  hundreds  who  do,  if  they 
were  going  to  ten  different  shops  close  together,  would  not,  if  they  lived 
two  hundred  yards  off,  walk  there,  nor  knowing  they  would  be  three  hours 
order  their  carriage  to  call  for  them  at  a  certain  hour,  for  the  world.  What, 
lose  letting  the  nine  others  see  they  kept  a  carriage.  Oh,  the  delight  of 
*  Put  those  things  in  the  carriage,'  or,  '  William,'  beckoning  their  servant 
into  the  shop,  «  put  this  in  the  pocket  of  the  carriage.'  Pleasant  and  salu- 
tary all  this  for  clipped  horses. 

"If  they  [a  family]  wanted  to  go  to  dinner  at  seven,  won't  the  carriage 
be  ordered  to  the  door  at  five,  to  be  seen  there  ?  If  wanted  to  go  shopping, 
which  it  certainly  would  be  two  hundred  and  fifty  days  a  year,  won't  it  be 
ordered  at  two,  to  go  at  half  past  three  ?  Won't  it  be  '  to  and  again  '  as 
people  describe  our  canine  friend  in  a  fair?  Won't  the  tablets  to  write  on 
and  the  *  tablets  of  memory'  be  taxed  to  write  up  all  and  every  person  they 
ever  spoke  to,  and  to  find  out  their  residences  to  make  a  call  in  the  car- 
riage ?  Won't  Thomas  be  taught  to  give  a  regular  '  Londonderry  '  at  the 
door,  only  somewhat  longer  and  louder?  As  the  boys  say,  ' Won't  he 
though?'  " 

DISTANCE. 

The  average  horse  should  be  able  to  cover  between  seven 
and  ten  miles  per  hour,  and  from  fourteen  to  sixteen  miles 
per  day.  The  weight  of  the  carriage,  the  nature  of  the  roads 


508  UNSADDLING  AND  UNHARNESSING. 

and  the  manner  in  which  the  horse  is  driven  will  all  bear 
much  influence  in  determining  the  range  of  work  the  ani- 
mal may  reasonably  be  expected  to  perform. 

"  I  think,  then,  we  may  fairly  say  fourteen  to  fifteen  miles  a  day  for  a 
single  horse  or  pair  of  horses,  if  continued  five  days  in  the  week,  is  very 
fair  work,  and  only  sound  and  good  constitutioned  horses  will  go  on  doing  it 
regularly,  that  is,  supposing  the  pace  to  be  eight  or  nine  miles  an  hour."  — 
The  Earl  of  Onslow,  "  Driving"  Badminton  Library,  p.  72. 

UNSADDLING. 

As  soon  as  the  horse  returns  to  the  stable  the  girths 
should  be  loosened,  but  the  servant  must  not  be  allowed  to 
remove  the  saddle  for  half  an  hour.  The  pressure  of  the 
saddle  causes  the  blood  to  be  forced  from  the  veins  beneath 
that  part  of  the  back  which  the  saddle  covers,  and  if  the 
blood  is  permitted  to  suddenly  return  the  veins  are  ruptured 
and  the  horse  soon  falls  a  victim  to  a  sore  back.  Sometimes 
the  servants  lift  the  saddle  from  time  to  time  or  place  straw 
under  it.  Neither  of  these  practices  should  be  permitted. 
When  the  weather  is  warm  it  will  frequently  be  necessary 
to  keep  the  saddle  on  much  longer;  in  fact,  the  skin  should 
be  perfectly  cool  before  removing  the  saddle.  The  reader 
will  be  surprised  to  discover  how  many  instances  of  sore 
back  attributed  to  badly  fitting  saddles  are  due  to  the  failure 
of  the  servant  to  take  the  precaution  of  cooling  the  horse 
before  unsaddling.  A  man's  saddle  should  have  the  stir- 
rups drawn  up  near  the  spring  bars  as  soon  as  the  horse 
comes  in.  In  removing  the  bridle  the  curb-chain  should  first 
be  unfastened  on  the  near  side. 

UNHARNESSING. 

When  a  servant  in  livery  returns  to  the  stable  with  a 


UNHARNESSING.  509 

trap  he  should  dismount  in  the  reverse  order  of  mounting, 
place  the  reins  through  the  off  pad-terret,  fasten  the  horse 
by  the  tie  reins,  cover  the  animal  with  a  blanket  if  the 
weather  is  cold,  and  then  hang  the  whip  in  place.  Before 
commencing  to  unharness  he  should  remove  his  gloves,  coat 
and  hat,  and  protect  the  remainder  of  his  livery  with  an 
apron. 

In  single  harness  the  tug-girth  should  first  be  unfastened, 
then  the  traces,  and  lastly  the  breeching-straps.  The  trace 
end  should  be  carried  up  and  passed  between  the  trace 
buckles  and  keepers.  In  taking  the  horse  out  careless 
servants  allow  the  shafts  to  drop  on  the  ground  from  the 
tugs.  Such  carelessness  soon  results  in  the  joints  loosen- 
ing and  plates  rattling.  The  end  of  the  curb-chain  should 
be  undone  on  the  near  side,  the  billets  of  the  reins  un- 
fastened and  drawn  back  through  the  hame  and  pad  terrets. 
The  saddle  should  be  removed,  then  the  collar  turned  around 
on  the  horse's  neck  and  the  hames  removed,  but  not  the 
collar;  the  latter  should  be  turned  back  into  place  and  left 
against  the  shoulders  until  the  horse  is  cool.  If  this  pre- 
caution is  taken,  the  horses  will  not  be  troubled  with  shoulder 
galls  unless  the  collar  misfits.  The  horse  should  now  be 
led  into  the  stall  part  and  a  cleaning  bridle  put  on.  The 
bit  of  the  bridle  should  be  immediately  unfastened  and 
placed  in  a  pail  of  clean  water  until  the  servant  is  ready  to 
clean  it.  This  care  given  to  the  bit  and  other  steels,  such 
as  chains,  stirrups,  etc.,  will  prevent  the  metal  from  rusting. 

In  unharnessing  a  pair  the  buckle  of  the  hand-pieces  of 
the  reins  should  first  be  unfastened,  then  the  coupling  reins, 
and  afterward  the  traces,  the  inside  ones  first  and  lastly 
the  pole-pieces  or  pole-chains.  The  tug-straps  should  be 


510  CARE  OF  HORSES  AFTER   WORK. 

unbuckled  so  that  the  saddles  may  be  removed  separately 
from  the  traces.  With  the  exception  of  the  above  differences, 
the  unharnessing  of  a  pair  is  similar  to  that  described  for  a 
single  horse. 

CARE    OF    HORSES    AFTER    WORK. 

Horses  coming  in  from  work  or  exercise  should  receive 
immediate  attention.  If  they  are  comparatively  cool,  the 
grooming  may  be  done  at  once,  and  the  sooner  the  better, 
as  the  cleaning  can  be  more  thoroughly  performed  while  the 
pores  are  open  than  when  the  skin  is  in  its  normal  condi- 
tion. If  the  animal  is  sweating,  or  is  wet  with  rain  or  mud, 
the  importance  of  promptness  is  greatly  increased.  Horses 
not  cared  for  under  such  conditions  are  likely  to  become 
"  foundered,"  or  stricken  with  some  equally  serious  form  of 
congestion.  Supposing  the  horse  to  return  cool,  he  should 
be  groomed  with  the  same  thoroughness  and  in  the  same 
manner  as  is  prescribed  for  the  early  morning  cleaning.  If 
the  horse  is  covered  with  mud  or  dust  the  dandy  brush 
should  be  used  on  the  legs  and  belly,  in  the  direction  of  the 
hair,  not  against  it  as  it  roughens  the  coat. 

During  the  hot  summer  months,  if  the  horse  returns 
to  the  stable  in  a  heated  condition,  the  harness,  with 
the  exception  of  the  collar  or*  the  riding  saddle,  should  be 
immediately  removed,  a  wooden  scraper  used,  the  coat  partly 
dried  with  a  rubbing  cloth,  and  a  "  cooler  "  put  on,  the  horse 
should  then  be  walked  in  a  place  protected  from  the  wind 
until  he  is  cool,  and  not  allowed  to  stand  uncovered  to  dry 
by  evaporation  while  the  servant  does  up  the  harness  or 
carriage.  This  latter  method  of  drying  a  horse  should  only 
be  allowed  in  very  warm  weather  when  the  temperature  is 


CARE  OF  HORSES  AFTER   WORK.  511 

over  eighty  degrees,  and  rubbing  causes  the  horse  to  con- 
tinue sweating.  Some  grooms  sponge  a  heated  horse  over 
and  "  hang  him  out  to  dry,"  a  practice  that  should  not  be 
tolerated. 

In  winter  and  when  the  weather  is  cool  the  horse  should 
be  rubbed  dry  with  rubbing  cloths  instead  of  being  walked. 
The  rubbing  should  commence  at  the  extremities,  i.  e.,  feet 
and  ears,  and  the  body  be  protected  by  a  blanket.  As  soon 
as  the  horse  is  cool  the  grooming  should  be  performed  as 
has  already  been  prescribed,  and  when  completed  the  blan- 
kets put  on,  and  the  horse  returned  to  his  stall.  Frequently 
in  warm  weather  the  horse  breaks  out,  after  being  groomed 
and  blanketed,  the  result  of  too  hasty  care.  Should  this 
occur  it  is  necessary  to  put  the  "  cooler  "  on  and  walk  the 
horse  again.  Breaking  out  may  often  be  prevented  by  not 
putting  the  surcingle  on  immediately  after  blanketing. 

In  extremely  cold  weather,  when  a  horse  returns  chilled 
and  tired,  the  legs  should  be  briskly  rubbed  and  woollen 
bandages  put  on  immediately,  the  circulation  stimulated  by 
a  pulling,  rubbing  motion  of  the  ears,  and,  if  the  prostration 
is  extreme,  a  warm  drink  given  of  oatmeal  water  or  a  pint 
of  ale.  Under  such  conditions  it  is  of  the  greatest  impor- 
tance that  the  horse  should  have  plenty  of  warm  clothing  and 
bedding,  and  that  he  should  be  protected  from  all  draughts. 

The  slight  forms  of  injuries  to  which  horses  are  subject 
as  the  result  of  badly  fitting  harness  or  carelessness  are  here 
considered  rather  than  under  Veterinary  Notes,  as  they  de- 
mand attention  as  soon  as  the  horse  has  returned  from  work. 

Sore  withers  or  shoulders  may  be  due  to  accident  or  the 
skin  being  very  sensitive,  in  which  case  washing  the  parts 
with  a  strong  solution  of  salt  water  will  do  much  to  harden 


512  THE  CARE  OF  CARRIAGES. 

the  skin.  Generally,  however,  the  cause  of  any  tender- 
ness is  the  result  of  ill-fitting  collars.  Under  such  con- 
ditions properly  fitting  collars  should  be  substituted  and  the 
injured  part  carefully  washed  with  warm  water  and  castile 
soap  and  then  equal  parts  of  hydrozone  and  water  applied. 
The  same  wash  may  be  used  for  saddle  galls,  or  a  cloth 
saturated  with  either  claret  and  salt,  or  with  a  solution 
of  one  ounce  sugar  of  lead,  two  ounces  laudanum  and  one 
quart  of  water  may  be  laid  over  the  inflamed  part.  A 
tonic  made  of  alcohol  and  glycerine  each  four  parts,  and  tinc- 
ture of  cantharides  one  part,  is  effective  in  stimulating  the 
growth  of  new  hair  on  parts  which  have  been  injured.  The 
mixture  should  be  applied  with  friction  every  other  day. 

THE    CARE    OF    CARRIAGES. 

Carriages,  if  properly  looked  after,  require  considerable 
attention,  and  as  the  wear  and  tear  is  comparatively  gradual, 
L  e.,  hardly  noticeable  from  day  to  day,  few  servants  realize 
to  what  extent  a  vehicle  is  injured  by  neglect.  When  a  car- 
riage has  been  recently  painted  and  varnished,  as  is  the 
case  with  a  new  carriage  or  one  that  has  just  been  done  over, 
the  varnish  should  be  hardened  by  washing  it  a  few  times 
before  use,  and  all  vehicles  should  be  washed,  not  merely 
dusted,  as  soon  as  they  return  to  the  stable.  New  varnish 
does  not  become  hard  for  three  or  four  weeks,  and  therefore 
a  newly  painted  vehicle  requires  especial  care.  Spots  may 
sometimes  be  removed  by  rubbing  on  a  little  linseed  oil 
with  a  bit  of  waste,  or  by  allowing  the  vehicle  to  stand  in 
the  sun  for  half  an  hour  early  in  the  morning  or  late  in  the 
afternoon.  Parts  that  are  scratched  or  otherwise  marred, 
such  as  the  treads  of  straps,  roller-bolts,  etc.,  should  be  re- 


THE  CARE  OF  CARRIAGES.  513 

touched  with  a  little  Japan  varnish  or  paint  of  the  original 
color.  Any  squeakiness  of  the  springs  may  be  remedied 
by  applying  a  little  castor  oil  near  the  tips  of  the  leaves.  Car- 
riages that  are  not  in  constant  use  should  be  taken  out  in 
a  shady  place  and  aired  once  a  week  or  oftener  when  the 
atmosphere  is  dry.  The  curtains,  hoods,  aprons,  etc.,  should 
be  exposed  to  the  air  and  thoroughly  sponged  or  dusted. 

During  the  winter  or  in  long  periods  of  bad  weather  the 
upholstering  should  be  protected  from  the  ravages  of  moths, 
etc.,  by  placing  camphor,  cayenne  pepper  or  phenic  acid  in 
a  saucer  on  the  floor  of  the  carriage,  and  the  doors  and  win- 
dows closed  or  a  cover  drawn  closely  about  the  vehicle. 
Carriages  with  half  heads  are  usually  protected  by  a  cover 
extending  from  the  head  to  the  apron,  in  addition  to  the 
ordinary  covering.  Even  when  there  is  a  coach  house 
separated  by  tight  doors  and  windows,  it  is  advisable  to 
use  linen  coverings,  as  there  is  always  more  or  less  dust  fly- 
ing about,  and  during  the  summer  season  the  carriages 
should  be  protected  as  much  as  possible  from  becoming  fly- 
specked.  If  the  stable  is  damp  the  carriages  should  be 
taken  out  and  aired  occasionally.  For  dusting  the  body 
of  the  carriages  a  duster  of  vulture  feathers  with  soft  tips 
should  be  used,  and  discarded  as  soon  as  the  ends  become 
broken.  The  old  duster  may  be  used  on  the  under  ^car- 
riage  and  for  rougher  work.  In  winter  the  temperature  of 
the  coach  house  should  not  be  allowed  to  fall  below  sixty 
degrees  Fahrenheit,  and  on  foggy  or  rainy  days  the  room 
should  be  artificially  heated.  The  head  servant  should  be 
made  to  understand  that  in  handling  a  carriage  pole  the 
greatest  care  must  be  observed,  as  a  crack  or  similar  defect 
is  more  than  likely  to  result  in  a  fatal  accident.  In  descend- 


514  WASHING  CARRIAGES. 

ing  a  hill  the  pole  is  the  sole  means  of  determining  the 
direction  or  impetus  of  a  pair-horse  vehicle.  When  a  joint 
or  any  of  the  metal  work  becomes  loose,  it  is  an  economy 
to  have  the  necessary  repairs  made  without  delay.  One 
defect  causes  another,  and  consequently  the  neglect  of 
the  original  trouble  unnecessarily  increases  the  coach  build- 
ers' account.  On  the  other  hand,  the  servant  should  not 
be  allowed  to  convert  the  carriages  into  a  source  of  rev- 
enue by  sending  vehicles  constantly  to  the  repair  shop.  A 
coach  builder  by  the  name  of  Felton  has  made  the  following 
remarks  on  the  subject : 

"  It  is  by  the  coachman  that  gentlemen  are  usually  biassed  in  what  is 
to  be  done  in  the  repairs  or  alterations  of  the  carriage ;  and  who,  from  in- 
terested motives  or  capricious  whims,  often  go  to  extravagant  lengths 
abusing  the  implicit  confidence  their  masters  place  in  them,  not  only  to  the 
sacrifice  of  their  property,  but  to  the  injury  of  the  carriage,  which  often 
becomes  a  kind  of  property  to  the  coachman  or  coach  maker,  and  the  pro- 
prietor a  dupe  to  one  or  both  of  their  artifices.  Coach  makers  are  too  fre- 
quently made  subservient  to  the  coachman,  owing  to  the  influence  they 
have  with  their  employers,  and  are  therefore  obliged  to  countenance  the  im- 
propriety of  their  orders  if  they  wish  to  preserve  their  customer." 

WASHING. 

If  a  carriage  is  not  properly  cleaned  and  is  allowed  to 
remain  dirty  and  wet,  the  wood  rots  and  warps,  the  paint 
peels  off,  and  the  lining  becomes  mouldy,  the  result  is  that 
more  frequent  trips  to  the  carriage  builders  are  necessary, 
and  from  the  fact  that  the  steel  and  iron  work  is  weakened 
by  rust  the  carriage  soon  becomes  more  of  a  death  trap  than 
a  pleasure  conveyance.  The  owner,  by  retaining  only  care- 
ful men  and  by  frequent  inspections  of  the  work,  can  retard 
the  ravages  of  destruction  which  otherwise  move  on  with 


WASHING  CARRIAGES.  515 

surprising  rapidity.  A  few  moments  now  and  then  spent  in 
examining  the  carriage  after  it  has  been  washed  will  cause 
the  servant  to  exercise  more  care  in  the  performance  of  his 
work  than  it  is  likely  he  would  otherwise  devote  to  it.  The 
usual  places  neglected  or  improperly  done  are  the  under 
part  of  the  body,  the  angles  formed  by  springs,  iron  work 
and  the  spokes,  the  wetting  of  window  pockets  and  those 
under  the  seats,  and  carelessness  in  drying  the  various  parts. 
When  washing  carriages  the  servant  should  observe  the 
following  rules  : 

1.  Never  allow  dirt  and  mud  to  remain  or  harden  on  a 
carriage  if  it  can  be  possibly  avoided. 

2.  Remove  the  whip,  robes  and  all  detachable  cushions, 
carpets,   wheel  wrenches,  etc.,  and    undo    the  aprons,    etc., 
before  washing. 

3.  If  the  carriage  is  a  covered  one,  such  as  a  brougham, 
brush  out  the  inside  thoroughly  and  close  the  windows  and 
doors  tight  before  washing. 

The  carriage  should  not  be  washed  in  the  sunshine  nor 
on  the  ground.  If  there  is  no  wash-stand  the  vehicle  should 
be  elevated  on  some  planks  or  similar  smooth  substance^ 

4.  When   "  jacking  up  "  the  carriage,  i.  e.,  raising  the 
wheels,  be  careful  to  allow  only  the  leather  or  rubber-cov- 
ered pin  or  step  of  the  wheel-jack  to  come  in  contact  with  the 
vehicle. 

5.  Don't  use  hot  or  warm  water  on  the  varnished  or 
painted  surface;  it  softens  the  varnish  and  destroys  the  finish. 
Use  cold  water  and  patience. 

6.  For  rough  vehicles  a  hose  without  a  nozzle  or  one 
with  a  rose  spray  may  be  used.     Never  throw  a  hard  stream 
of  water  on  any  part  of  the  vehicle. 


516  WASHING  CARRIAGES. 

7.  When  mud  has  hardened  on  the  carriage,  souse  the 
vehicle  thoroughly  and  allow  it  to  stand  for  a  few  moments  ; 
by  so  doing  the  mud  will  become  softened  and  can  be  re- 
moved without  scratching  or  tearing  off  the  varnish. 

8.  When  cleaning  the  body  of  a  carriage  use  a  large, 
soft  sponge,  reserved  for  this  purpose,  and  apply  it  first  on 
the  roof  and  upper  parts  of  the  sides ;  don't  rub,  but  squeeze 
the  sponge  so  that  the  water  will  flow  down  the  sides  and 
soften  and  carry  the  dirt  or  mud  off  without  injuring  the 
surface.     Rinse  the  sponge  frequently  in  clean  water. 

9.  Be  careful  that  the  water  does  not  get  into  the  wells 
of  the  windows  or  on  the  upholstery.     Use  a  damp  sponge 
about  the  frames  of  doors  and  windows. 

10.  Don't  neglect  the  bottom  of  the  carriage,  the  under 
sides  of  the  lower  half  of  springs,   the  corner  around  bolt 
heads  or  the  spaces  under  the  whiffle-tree,  etc. 

1 1.  Don't  use  a  spoke  brush ;  it  undoubtedly  removes  all 
the  dirt,   also  the  varnish  and  paint.      The  liberal  use  of 
water  will   accomplish  the  desired  result  without  injury  to 
the  varnish. 

12.  Don't  use  soap  around  the  axle  boxes.    If  the  oil  has 
been  carelessly  put  on  and  works  out,  it  should  be  removed 
with  a  rag  moistened  with  turpentine. 

As  the  roof,  body  and  under  carriage  are  in  turn  washed 
they  should  be  carefully  dried  before  washing  the  part  below. 

13.  A  soft  chamois  should  be  used  in  drying  the  car- 
riage, care  being  taken  to  remove  all  moisture  at  the  joints 
of  springs,  the  corners   around    bold   heads,    the   jambs    of 
doors  and  windows  and  other  usually  unobserved  parts   of 
the   carriage.      A    separate  sponge  should  be  kept  for  the 
panels. 


CARE  OF  THE  LEATHER.  517 

14.  The  leather  dashers  and  aprons  should  be  washed 
with  warm,  not  hot,  water  and  soap,  rinsed  off  and  occasion- 
ally gone  over  with  a  sponge  dampened  in  linseed  oil. 

15.  Never,  under  any  circumstances,  put  a  carriage  away 
unless  thoroughly  dried.     If  allowed  to  remain  wet  panels 
and  joints  warp,  springs  and  rivets  rust,  and  stains  are  left 
by  the  beads  of  water  which  in  time  evaporate.     Absolutely 
no  excuse  can  be  given  for  such  neglect. 

CARE    OF    THE    LEATHER. 

The  leather  work  comprises  the  tops,  or  heads  as  they 
are  technically  termed,  the  aprons ;  these  parts  are  usually 
made  of  enamelled  leather.  The  dashboard,  wings,  etc.,  are 
in  most  instances  made  of  patent  leather.  The  heads  should 
never  be  left  folded  down  for  any  length  of  time,  and  it  is 
better  to  avoid  fully  extending  the  iron  framework ;  if  each 
section  is  about  three-quarters  open,  there  will  be  no  chance 
of  the  folds  adhering  nor  becoming  bagged.  From  time  to 
time  the  patent  and  enamelled  leather  parts  should  be 
washed  with  tepid,  not  hot,  water  and  soap ;  after  being  thor- 
oughly dried  a  little  linseed  oil  on  some  cotton  waste  may 
be  applied ;  the  latter  will  remove  spots  and  keep  the  life 
in  the  leather.  A  little  patent  leather  cream  used  on  the 
smaller  pieces  of  leather  will  keep  them  fresher  than  the 
foregoing.  Oil  leather  when  new  should  only  be  washed 
in  the  ordinary  way,  but  as  it  ages  a  little  neat's-foot  oil  may 
be  applied,  and  any  surplus  that  is  not  absorbed  should  be 
removed.  The  leather  breeching-strap  loops  and  safety 
straps,  which  attach  the  pole  or  shaft  to  the  axle,  and  the 
whiffle-tree  loops  should  be  "  compoed"  and  polished. 


518  CARE  OF  METAL  MOUNTS  AND  WINDOWS. 

CARE    OF    METAL    MOUNTS. 

The  plated  metal  parts  are  usually  limited  to  the  strip 
of  moulding  round  the  box  seat,  the  door  handles  and 
lamps,  and  for  the  cleaning  of  the  silver  surfaces  dry  plate 
powder  is  all  that  is  required,  but  for  the  brass  parts  a  little 
plate  powder  moistened  with  kerosene  is  advised.  The  ser- 
vant should  not  allow  the  powder  or  paste  to  run  over  the 
sides  and  on  to  the  painted  or  leather  parts.  All  polishing 
liquids  should  be  avoided,  as  the  varnished  surfaces  are  ruined 
by  them,  and  it  is  impossible  to  confine  the  liquid  exclusively 
to  the  metal  parts.  After  the  powder  has  been  removed  a 
black  chamois  should  be  used  to  bring  out  the  full  lustre  of 
the  metal.  The  carriage  lamps  should  be  removed  from 
their  supports,  the  parts  around  the  oil  or  candle  thor- 
oughly cleaned,  and  the  lamp  part  replenished  and  made 
ready  for  immediate  use:  the  candles  or  lamps  may  be 
required  at  a  moment's  notice.  A  thin  paste  of  whiting  and 
alcohol  should  be  applied  to  the  reflectors,  and  when  the 
whiting  has  dried  the  powder  should  be  removed  and  the 
reflectors  polished  with  a  black  chamois  or  soft  brush. 

WINDOWS. 

For  cleaning  windows  a  paste  made  of  whiting  and  water 
should  be  made  and  applied  to  the  glass  with  a  sponge,  and 
when  the  paste  dries  the  windows  should  be  polished  with 
a  chamois.  When  the  glass  is  dirty  or  fly-specked  warm 
water  and  castile  soap  or  alcohol  should  first  be  used. 

OILING. 

The  axle  arms  of  all  carriages  with  plain  axles  should  be 
oiled  after  each  time  the  carriage  is  used,  and  if  any  vehicle 


OILING  AXLES.  519 

has  been  standing  a  few  days  or  more  the  axle  arms  should 
be  oiled  before  the  carriage  is  taken  out.  In  establishments 
where  the  numer  of  servants  is  proportionate  to  the  amount 
of  work  there  is  no  excuse  for  a  wheel  becoming  set,  and 
an  accident  of  this  nature  indicates  that  the  work  in  general 
is  being  carelessly  performed.  Patent  axles  require  such 
careful  manipulation  that  it  is  safer  and  cheaper  in  the  long 
run  to  have  them  looked  after  by  a  man  from  the  coach 
builders  ;  and  when  circumstances  prevent  this  being  done, 
the  owner  should  superintend  the  work  for  the  first  few 
times.  A  description  of  the  two  leading  types  of  patent 
axles,  the  Collinge  and  Mail,  is  given  on  p.  67. 

For  oiling  the  plain  axle  the  servant  should  have  a  stand 
about  thirty  inches  high,  and  with  sides  from  ten  to  fourteen 
inches  square  ;  the  upper  surface  should  be  flat  with  a  rim 
two  or  three  inches  high,  and  beneath  this  tray,  hooks  and 
shelves  may  be  placed  for  the  wrenches,  cotton  waste,  oil 
can,  etc. 

When  the  wheels  are  to  be  oiled  a  wheel-jack,  with  the 
pin  and  steps  protected  by  leather,  should  be  placed  under 
the  axle  arm  near  the  hub,  or  if  the  jack  is  of  the  double- 
arm  pattern,  under  the  centre  of  the  axle  bed.  The  cap  and 
nut  should  be  removed  and  placed  on  the  top  of  the  tray, 
the  wheel  removed  and  stood  in  some  convenient  place,  and 
the  leather  washers  taken  out.  First,  the  axle  arm  should  be 
carefully  cleaned  with  some  cotton  waste,  the  oil  groove 
scraped  out  and  any  oil  that  has  become  hardened  removed 
by  a  rag  saturated  with  turpentine.  Second,  the  axle  box 
in  the  hub  should  be  similarly  cleaned,  and  the  leather 
washers  rubbed  off,  smeared  with  tallow  and  replaced.  In 
cleaning  the  axle  arm  and  box  great  care  should  be  taken  to 


520  OILING  AXLES. 

prevent  any  dust  or  dirt  from  lodging  on  these  parts.  Third, 
the  axle  arm  should  then  be  oiled  ;  for  this  purpose  a  can  of 
castor  oil,  fitted  with  a  cork  to  which  is  fastened  a  feather  in 
the  same  manner  as  the  brush  of  a  mucilage  pot,  is  best 
for  this  work.  Just  sufficient  oil  should  be  applied  to  cover 
the  surface  of  the  arm  and  the  oil  groove.  If  more  is  used 
the  oil  oozes  out  on  the  hub,  if  less  there  is  danger  of  the 
wheel  becoming  set.  Fourth,  in  replacing  the  wheel  care 
should  be  taken  to  prevent  the  parts  from  bumping  to- 
gether, and  also  in  starting  the  nut  and  cap  true,  otherwise 
the  threads  get  crossed  and  when  thus  cut  the  nut  is  ren- 
dered insecure.  When  tightening  up  the  nut  the  latter 
should  be  taken  up  so  that  the  wheel  turns  hard  and  then 
slightly  reversed  until  the  wheel  runs  freely,  but  without  any 
forward  or  backward  play.  From  time  to  time  it  will  be 
necessary  to  replace  the  leather  washers  with  new  ones,  and 
in  putting  on  the  new  leather  it  should  fit  snugly,  be  free 
from  rough  edges  and  thoroughly  smeared  with  tallow. 

Each  wheel  should  be  thus  treated  in  turn,  and  as  soon 
as  the  work  is  completed  the  wrench  or  wrenches  should  be 
wiped  clean,  wrapped  in  a  cloth  and  placed  in  the  wrench 
pocket  of  the  carriage.  As  soon  as  the  oiling  is  completed 
the  oil  can,  spare  wrenches,  washers,  rags,  etc.,  should  be 
put  in  their  respective  places  in  the  oiling  stand,  and  the 
latter  set  out  of  the  way.  Occasionally  it  will  be  necessary 
to  lubricate  the  wheel  plate  or  fifth  wheel  upon  which  the 
axle  bed  of  the  fore  wheels  turns.  The  perch  bolt  should  be 
removed  and  the  top  carriage  raised  sufficiently  to  enable  the 
servant  to  smear  a  little  soap,  grease  or  graphite  on  the  plate. 
The  writer  prefers  the  use  of  graphite,  as  it  is  more  lasting 
and  does  not  overrun  the  metal  part  as  grease  is  apt  to  do. 


THE  CARE  OF  STEELS. 


521 


THE    CARE   OF    STEELS. 

All  steel  work,  such  as  pole-tops,  pole-chains, 
bits,  curb-chains,  stirrups,  etc.,  should  be  kept 
free  from  rust  and  brightly  burnished.  The 
method  of  preserving  steels  in  this  condition  is 
as  follows :  Scour  the  metal  with  damp  silver 
sand,  cleaning  joints  and  corners  with  an  old  strip 
of  chamois  or  small,  sharp  pointed  piece  of  wood. 
After  all  rust,  dirt,  etc.,  have  been  removed  rinse 
the  metal  in  clean  water  and  dry  with  a  chamois, 
then  polish  the  surface  with  a  burnisher.  (See 
Figs.  229,  230.)  Bits  and  stirrups  should  be  re- 
moved as  soon  as  the  horse  returns  to  the  stable, 
and  placed  in  a  pail  of  clean  water  until  they  can 
be  cared  for.  Pole-chains  may  be  brightened  by 
placing  them  in  a  burnishing  bag  (see  Fig.  231)  or 
in  a  rubbing  cloth,  and  taking  an  end  of  the  bag 
or  cloth  in  each  hand,  revolve  it  with  a  circular 
motion  from  the  knees  to  the  left  side,  over  the 
head,  and  down  on  the  other  side.  All  burnished 
steel  should  be  as  bright,  if  not  brighter,  than 
polished  silver.  After  the  steels  are  burnished  they 
may  be  protected  from  the  action  of  dampness  by 
rubbing  them  over  with  a  cloth  on  which  a  little 
sweet  oil  has  been  placed.  Very  little  oil  should 
be  used,  not  enough  to  leave  a  mark  on  the 
fingers.  When  steels  are  to  be  stored  away  Fia  229> 
for  any  length  of  time  they  may  be  protected 
from  rust  by  placing  them  in  a  box  of  bran  or  powdered 
lime. 


522 


THE  CARE  OF  STEELS. 


THE  CARE  OF  HARNESS  AND  SADDLES.  523 

THE    CARE    OF    HARNESS    AND    SADDLES. 

Harness,  although  not  requiring  the  immediate  care 
which  the  other  parts  of  an  equipage  demand,  should  be 
properly  cleaned  and  hung  in  place  within  a  few  hours  after 
use.  Leather  that  is  kept  in  good  condition  should  bend 
with  much  the  same  "feeling"  as  that  produced  by  twisting 
soft  copper  wire.  Under  ordinary  circumstances  the  leather 
will  only  require  sponging  off,  and  when  dry  the  application 
of  a  soft,  thick-bristled  polishing  brush  to  renew  the  lustre 
and  from  time  to  time  washing  of  the  harness  with  soda  and 
water,  and  the  use  of  a  similar,  but  harder,  bristled  brush 
on  which  some  Jamieson  harness  composition  has  been 
evenly  and  sparingly  rubbed.  When  the  harness  is  "  com- 
poed  "  every  strap  should  be  undone  and  blackened.  At  no 
time  should  the  composition  be  so  thick  on  the  harness  as 
to  form  little  streaks  or  lumps,  and  after  the  leather  has  been 
polished  it  should,  upon  being  handled,  leave  little  or  no 
stain  on  the  hand.  When  the  harness  is  brought  in  muddy 
and  wet  it  should  be  washed  with  soap  and  warm  water,  but 
not  soaked.  The  water  should  be  applied  with  a  sponge, 
which  must  be  constantly  rinsed  out  in  clean  water.  All 
surface  moisture  should  then  be  removed  with  a  chamois, 
and  the  harness  hung  up  until  thoroughly  dry  before  being 
"  compoed "  and  polished.  Now  and  then  both  black  and 
russet  harness  will  have  to  be  thoroughly  cleaned  with  a 
brush  and  soda  and  water.  When  dry  the  leather  may  be 
softened  with  a  little  neat's-foot  oil.  It  is  advisable  to  apply 
a  thin  coating  of  beeswax,  by  the  use  of  a  brush  similar  to 
the  one  used  for  the  "  compo,"  and  by  passing  the  bristles 
lightly  over  a  cake  of  beeswax  and  then  going  over  the 
leather,  the  latter  is  rendered  more  impervious  to  the  inclem- 


524  BROWN  LEATHER  AND  SADDLES. 

ency  of  the  weather  and  the  lustre  is  longer  retained. 
Liquid  polish  should  never  be  used,  as  it  eats  the  heart  out 
of  the  leather. 

The  patent  leather  parts  must  not  be  touched  with  a 
brush,  but  merely  sponged  over,  dried  with  a  chamois,  a  little 
meltonian  cream  applied,  and  then  the  surface  polished  with 
a  soft  cloth. 

BROWN    LEATHER    AND    SADDLES. 

Brown  or  russet  leather,  of  which  the  reins,  head-collars, 
saddles,  bridles,  and  frequently  harness  are  made,  is  cleaned 
in  the  same  manner  as  black  harness,  but  instead  of  "compo  " 
being  used  the  leather  should  be  gone  over  with  some  Pro- 
pet's  saddle  soap  applied  with  a  sponge.  When  dry  the 
leather  may  be  polished  with  a  cloth,  and  the  glazed  surfaces 
given  additional  polish  by  the  use  of  a  little  beeswax.  The 
latter  should  not  be  put  on  with  the  same  brush  used  for 
the  black  harness,  as  the  brown  leather  would  be  stained. 
Lemon  juice  will  lighten  such  parts  of  russet  leather  as  be- 
come too  dark,  but  when  once  applied  the  leather  never  regains 
its  original  shade.  In  addition  to  what  has  been  said  above, 
riding  saddles  should  have  all  metal  parts  kept  bright,  and 
the  cloth  lining  dried  before  the  fire  or  in  the  sunshine. 
The  rack  used  for  this  purpose  is  shown  in  Fig  232. 

Stirrup  leathers  and  numnahs  should  be  sponged  off  after 
use,  and  kept  soft  with  Propet's  saddle  soap.  If  the  panel 
of  the  saddle,  i.  e.,  the  part  which  comes  in  contact  with  the 
horse's  back,  is  of  leather  it  should  be  given  the  same  care 
as  the  numnah.  As  new  saddles  are  very  hard  and  uncom- 
fortable, both  to  rider  and  the  horse,  the  leather  should  be 
softened  by  the  application  of  a  little  mutton  kidney  fat, 


BROWN  LEATHER  AND  SADDLES. 


525 


especially  on  the  flaps,  which  should  first  be  dampened  with 
water.  If  the  saddle  has  a  leather  panel  the  latter  may  be 
softened  by  rubbing  a  little  cod-liver  oil  well  into  the  grain 
of  the  leather.  The  unsightly  new  look  of  all  brown  leather 
may  be  lessened  by  sponging  it  over  two  or  three  times  with 


FIG.    232. 

a  weak  solution  of  soda,  exposing  the  leather  to  the  sun  and 
dressing  it  down  several  times  with  saddle  soap  before  it  is 
used.  Saddle-cloths  and  brown  girths  should  be  carefully 
dried,  brushed,  and  the  leather  parts  kept  soft  with  saddle 
soap.  White  girths  must  be  similarly  treated  and  pipe  clay 


526  METAL  MOUNTS. 

rubbed  on,  both  the  girth  and  clay  being  dampened.  The 
girths  should  then  be  dried  in  the  sun  or  before  the  fire,  and 
all  pipe  clay  removed  from  the  leather  parts.  When  the 
girths  become  muddy  it  will  be  necessary  to  scrub  them 
with  soap  and  water,  using  a  stiff-bristled  water  brush.  As 
soon  as  the  saddles  have  been  cleaned  they  should  be  placed 
on  the  racks  and  protected  from  the  dust  with  linen  covers. 
From  time  to  time  the  buckle  of  the  stirrup-leathers  should 
be  cut  off  and  the  strap  shortened  an  inch  or  two  before 
the  buckles  are  replaced.  The  points  at  which  the  spring 
bar  and  stirrup  come  in  contact  with  the  leather  are  thus 
relieved  before  they  become  dangerously  weak. 

METAL    MOUNTS. 

For  all  harness  mounts,  whether  of  silver,  plate  or  brass, 
plate  powder  should  be  used  in  cleaning.  In  polishing  brass 
furniture  a  woollen  cloth  should  be  dampened  with  kerosene 
and  then  dipped  in  the  plate  powder.  All  liquid  polishes 
should  be  avoided,  as  they  contain  acids  which  are  injurious 
to  the  leather.  From  time  to  time  it  will  be  necessary  to 
wash  the  monograms,  crests  or  similar  mounts  with  warm 
water  and  a  brush.  When  polishing  or  washing  these  metal 
parts  a  guard  of  leather  or  brass  with  an  opening  just  large 
enough  to  expose  the  mount  should  be  used.  The  powder 
should  be  applied  with  a  damp  cloth,  and  when  dry  the 
metal  should  be  polished  with  a  crest  brush.  There  is  no 
excuse  for  the  presence  of  dirt  or  plate  powder  about  the 
edges  and  in  the  interstices.  If  properly  treated  the  leather 
parts,  under  the  mounts,  should  be  free  from  any  foreign 
substance.  Carelessness  is  also  shown  by  the  corners  and 
backs  of  buckles  being  smeared  with  "compo." 


THE  CARE  OF  LIVERY.  527 

WHIPS. 

Whip  thongs,  or  lashes  as  they  are  commonly  called, 
should  be  pipe- clayed  each  time  they  are  used.  The  clay  is 
first  moistened,  then  rubbed  on  the  thong,  and  the  whip 
hung  in  the  sun  or  a  warm  place  to  dry.  The  thong  should 
not  be  so  heavily  pipe-clayed  that  after  the  horse  has  been 
struck  a  few  times  his  coat  is  seen  through  a  network  of 
white  lines.  The  thong  should  be  gone  over  lightly  and 
when  dry  shaken,  not  snapped,  a  few  times  to  remove  the 
loose  particles  of  clay  before  the  whip  is  replaced  on  the 
rack,  the  stick  and  leather  parts  sponged  and  the  metal  fer- 
rules polished.  Occasionally  the  black  threads  holding  the 
quill  should  be  gone  over  with  a  little  "  compo,"  and  the  leather 
handle  rubbed  down  with  some  saddle  soap  and  polished. 
In  order  to  preserve  the  thong  it  should  be  rubbed  over  with 
a  bullock's  heart,  mutton  tallow,  saddle  soap,  or  a  composi- 
tion made  of  the  following  ingredients :  beeswax  one  part, 
hog's  lard  two  parts,  boil  down  and  mould  in  the  form  of  a 
brick  while  cooling.  The  thong  should  be  kept  soft  enough 
to  permit  the  bending  of  a  loop  between  the  fingers  without 
separating  the  plaits  forming  the  lash.  When  new  points 
are  required  for  the  end  of  the  thong,  leather  ones  should  be 
preferably  chosen,  or  if  whipcord  points  are  used  the  cord 
should  be  white  and  not  of  any  color. 

THE    CARE    OF    LIVERY. 

In  the  use  of  livery  a  careful  servant  can 
keep  the  various  parts  of  his  uniform  in  a  pre- 
sentable state  for  double  or  triple  the  time  in 
which  a  careless  servant  reduces  his  livery  to 
a  state  of  ruin.  Immediately  upon  the  ser- 


528  THE  CARE  OF  LIVERY. 

vant's  return  to  the  stable  he  should  remove  his  gloves,  hat, 
coat  and  waistcoat.  These  parts  of  the  livery  should  be  care- 
fully hung  up  in  the  livery  room  until  the  servant  has  per- 
formed such  work  as  requires  more  immediate  attention. 
He  should  take  the  precaution  to  protect  his  breeches  or 
trousers  from  becoming  stained  or  besmeared  by  putting  on 
a  green  baize  apron,  such  as  is  worn  by  butlers.  It  is  sur- 
prising the  accidents  that  may  happen  to  the  livery,  as  a 
result  of  the  thoughtlessness  of  a  well  meaning  but  impru- 
dent servant.  At  one  time  or  another  the  hat  is  injured  by 
the  horse  or  the  reins  knocking  it  off,  the  coat  torn  on  a 
hook,  the  breeches  stained  by  grease,  or  the  livery  damaged 
by  similar  unexpected  mishaps. 


FIG.  233. 

The  dogskin  gloves  should  be  sponged  off  now  and  then 
with  a  little  saddle  soap,  the  hat  kept  brushed,  and  if  a  silk 
one  it  should  be  ironed  occasionally ;  the  coat,  waistcoat  and 
trousers  brushed  and  kept  free  from  wrinkles.  Any  slight 
spots  may  be  removed  by  the  use  of  a  cloth  dampened  with 
benzine.  All  metal  buttons  should  be  cleaned  with  plate 
powder,  and  afterwards  rubbed  over  with  a  black  chamois. 
In  cleaning  the  buttons  a  guard  (see  Fig.  233)  should  be  used 
to  protect  the  cloth  from  the  plate  powder.  This  guard  is 
made  of  a  narrow  and  thin  strip  of  wood  or  brass  with  a 
hole  at  one  end  large  enough  to  admit  the  largest  button ; 
from  the  lower  side  of  the  opening  a  slit  extends  to  within 


THE  CARE  OF  ROBES. 


529 


an  inch  or  so  of  the  other  end  of  the  guard.  The  boots 
should  be  highly  polished  and  kept  on  boot  trees.  Any 
desired  color  for  the  boot  tops 
may  be  obtained  by  the  use  of 
Propet's  preparations,  directions 
for  their  use  accompany  each 
box  of  compositon.  Breeches 
of  leather  are  kept  white  by  the 
use  of  breeches  paste  and  balls. 
From  time  to  time  the  breeches 
may  be  washed  in  order  to  give 
them  a  uniform  ground  color. 
Directions  for  the  use  of  breeches 
pastes,  etc.,  are  furnished  with 
each  box  or  jar.  As  soon  as  the 
breeches  Jiave  been  cleaned  they 
should  be  placed  on  breeches 
trees  until  wanted  for  use.  (See 
Fig.  234.)  After  mackintoshes 
are  used  they  should  be  cleaned 
and  dried,  but  not  near  the 
fire  nor  in  the  sun,  as  great 
heat  destroys  the  waterproof  tex- 
ture. 


FIG.    234, 


THE    CARE    OF    ROBES. 


Carriage  robes  should  be  hung  in  the  harness  or  livery 
room  as  soon  as  the  carriage  returns  to  the  stable,  and  later 
brushed  or  dried  if  wet.  The  robes  or  aprons  which  have 
a  metal  disk  should  be  provided  with  a  guard  similar  to  the 
one  used  in  cleaning  the  monograms  on  harness.  The  disk 


530 


THE  CARE  OF  ROBES. 


must  be  kept  bright  and  free  from  dirt  or  dust.  The  same 
plate  powder  and  brushes  used  on  the  monograms  may  be 
used  in  cleaning.  Any  spots  or  stains  can,  under  most  cir- 
cumstances, be  removed  by  rubbing  them  with  a  cloth  damp- 
ened with  benzine. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

VETERINARY    NOTES. 

DRUGS  administered  by  the  average  stable  servant  do 
more  harm  than  good ;  the  reason  being  that  the  nature  of 
the  malady  and  the  effects  of  medicines  are  not  understood. 
Without  a  knowledge  of  anatomy  and  therapeutics  it  is  un- 
reasonable to  suppose  that  a  person  can  apply  remedies  with- 
out, in  many  cases,  committing  great  and  often  fatal  injury 
to  the  patient.  It  was  the  writer's  intention  to  give  as  many 
suggestions  as  were  at  his  command  regarding  the  treat- 
ment of  the  horse  in  sickness,  but  for  the  following  reasons 
only  the  simplest  cases  .are  considered:  first,  the  various 
disorders  to  which  the  horse  is  heir  and  their  remedies  are 
too  numerous  to  be  comprehensively  dealt  with  in  one  or 
two  chapters ;  second,  the  danger  of  such  information  being 
misapplied;  and,  third,  the  writer's  belief  that  it  is  inex- 
pedient for  the  average  owner  or  his  servant  to  assume  the 
responsibility  of  making  a  diagnosis,  and  applying  drugs  in 
cases  demanding  the  knowledge  and  skill  of  a  practised  vet- 
erinary surgeon. 

"  Next  in  point  of  annoyance  to  a  groom  or  coachman  sending  for  a 
friend  in  the  shape  of  a  farrier  to  see  and  of  course  attend  a  sick  or  lame 
horse  is  the  groom  taking  him  in  hand  himself;  I  mean  in  this  case,  of 
course,  an  ordinary  groom." 

"  I  do  not  mean  that  a  man  who  knows  what  he  is  about  need  send  his 
horse  on  every  trifling  ailment  to  any  veterinary  surgeon ;  but  it  is  the  cheap- 
est plan  for  the  man  who  does  not." 

"  But  in  sending  to  a  professional,  let  me  strongly  recommend  the  most 

531 


532  TAKING  THE  TEMPERATURE. 

eminent  that  is  to  be  had  be  applied  to ;  if  the  case  is  a  trivial  one  he  will 
not  make  it  serious  by  ignorant  treatment,  and  if  serious  of  course  all  his 
skill  will  be  required." — Charles  Brindley,  "The  Pocket  and  the  Stud" 
pp.  161,  163. 

TAKING   THE    TEMPERATURE. 

The  normal  temperature  varies  between  ninety-nine  de- 
grees and  one  hundred  degrees  Fahrenheit.  The  tempera- 
ture is  taken  by  means  of  a  clinical  thermometer  which 
should  be  inserted  in  the  rectum,  and  retained  there  for  five 
or  more  minutes.  Sir  Fitzwygram  states  that  "  the  cheap 
articles  usually  sold  as  clinical  thermometers  are  perfectly 
unreliable."  The  temperature  should  be  taken  at  the  same 
hour  each  day,  and  not  immediately  after  the  horse  has  been 
fed  or  watered.  A  sickness  which  causes  the  temperature 
to  rise  as  high  as  one  hundred  and  six  degrees  Fahrenheit 
usually  terminates  fatally. 

FINDING   THE    PULSE. 

Without  much  practice  it  is  difficult  for  the  amateur  to 
determine  much  by  the  pulsation,  other  than  to  what  extent 
it  varies  in  the  number  of  beats  from  the  normal,  which  is 
from  thirty-four  to  thirty-eight  per  minute.  The  middle  and 
fore  finger  should  be  placed  exactly  transversely  on  the  ar- 
tery at  a  point  on  the  inside  of  the  jaw  near  the  jowl.  The 
horse  should  be  quietly  approached,  and  after  taking  the 
pulse,  the  number  of  pulsations  should  be  compared  with 
those  of  the  same  animal  when  in  a  normal  condition.  In 
sickness  the  pulse,  besides  varying  in  the  number  of  pulsa- 
tions, between  twenty  and  one  hundred  and  twenty,  may  be 
affected  in  one  or  more  of  the  following  ways: 


STIMULANTS.  533 

Intermittent.  Weak  and  small. 

Irregularity  in  strength.  Quick,  feeble  and  fluttering. 

Intermittent  and  irregular.  Imperceptible. 

Soft  and  full.  Wiry. 

Throbbing.  Thready. 

Oppressed.  Double  beat. 

Under  some  conditions  the  suddenness  of  an  attack 
makes  it  necessary  that  no  time  should  be  lost  in  affording 
immediate  relief  to  the  patient,  and  it  is  therefore  necessary 
to  have  constantly  on  hand  such  remedies  as  stimulants,  colic 
draughts,  antispasmodics,  etc. 

STIMULANTS. 

"  The  internal  stimulants  used  in  Veterinary  practice  are  chiefly  those 
known  as  Diffusible  stimulants.  They  cause  rapid  but  only  temporary  ex- 
citement of  the  system.  They  are  very  useful  in  rousing  and  equalizing  the 
circulation,  which  from  any  cause  may  have  become  languid  or  even  almost 
paralyzed.  In  shivering  fits,  for  instance,  diffusible  stimulants  may  by  this 
action  ward  off  attacks  of  inflammation.  .  .  .  Diffusible  stimulants  are  of  the 
highest  value  in  fibrile  affections,  in  diseases  attended  with  great  depression, 
during  convalescence  after  serious  illness,  and  in  all  cases  of  prostration,  etc. 
"  The  ordinary  dose  consists  of — 

Spirits  of  nitrous  ether     .         .         .         .  i  ^  oz. 

Aromatic  spirits  of  ammonia    .         .         .  ^  oz. 

Water    ....         .         ;         .         .         .       i  pint. 

or, 

Solution  of  acetate  of  ammonia         .         .         3  to  4  ozs. 
Water    .         .         .         .  -•      .         ;         .         .       i  pint. 

or, 

Aromatic  spirits  of  ammonia    .         .         .         .          i  oz. 
Tincture  of  gentian          .         .         .         .         .          i  oz. 

Water i  pint. 

"  The  carbonate  of  ammonia  is  a  very  valuable  diffusible  stimulant,  and 
may  be  given  either  in  the  form  of  a  ball  or  draught  in  doses  of  from  i  to  2 
drachms  in  a  pint  of  water." 


534  SEDATIVES,  ANTISPASMODICS  AND  COLIC. 

SEDATIVES. 

"  Aconite  is  a  prompt  and  effectual  sedative  in  fibrile  attacks  and  in 
acute  inflammation.  It  moderates  and  lessens  the  action  of  the  heart,  and 
hence  reduces  the  quantity  of  blood  which  passes  in  a  given  time  to  any 
part.  It  has  the  advantage  of  not  reducing  the  strength  like  loss  of  blood. 
In  large  doses  it  is  highly  poisonous;  but  the  tincture  may  be  safely  given 
in  doses  of  from  ten  to  twenty  drops  frequently  until  the  pulse  is  relieved." 

ANTISPASMODICS. 

"Antispasmodics  are  medicines  which  act  upon  the  brain  and  nerves 
and  through  them  on  the  system  generally.  By  their  action  they  overcome 
inordinate  muscular  action,  such  as  spasms. 

"They  usually  consist  of  a  narcotic  in  combination  with  a  diffusible 
stimulant  and  a  slight  purgative.  An  antispasmodic  draught  may  be  made  of 

Spirits  of  nitrous  ether 2  ozs. 

Tincture  of  opium  .         .         .         .         .         .         i  oz. 

Solution  of  aloes      .         .         .         .         .         4  to  5  ozs. 

or, 

Oil  of  turpentine 2  to  3  ozs. 

Tincture  of  opium 2  oz. 

Linseed  oil i  pint." 

—  F.  Fitzwygram,  "Horses  and  Stables"  p.  149  et  seq. 

COLIC. 

Colic  is  either  caused  by  spasmodic  contraction  of  the 
muscular  tissues  of  the  intestines  or  by  the  latter  being  un- 
duly distended  in  consequence  of  the  generation  of  gases 
from  undigested  food.  It  occasionally  happens  that  inflam- 
mation of  the  intestines  is  mistaken  for  colic,  but  the  differ- 
ence is  easily  detected.  However,  great  care  should  be 
taken  in  making  the  diagnosis,  as  the  treatment  for  both 
disorders,  though  in  many  respects  it  is  similar,  will  result 
in  ill  effects  if  misapplied. 


SPASMODIC  COLIC.  535 


COLIC.  INFLAMMATION   OF    THE    INTESTINES. 

No  premonitory  symptoms.  Want  of  appetite. 

Pain  intermittent.  Pain  continuous. 

No  fever.  Dulness. 

Pulse  quickened  at  time  of  spasm,  Feverishness. 

often  contracted  during  intervals  Pulse  faster  by  twice  or  thrice. 

of  calm*.  Extremities  cold. 

Extremities  warm.  Mouth  dry  and  cold. 

Mouth  moist.  Respiration  hurried. 
Tenderness  of  the  belly. 

The  first  indications  of  colic  or  inflammation  are  usually 
shown  by  the  horse  turning  his  head  toward  his  flank;  as 
the  pain  increases  the  animal  paws  and  kicks.  When  such 
signs  of  distress  exist  the  horse's  temperature  should  be  im- 
mediately taken,  the  condition  of  the  pulse  and  extremities 
noted,  and  the  nature  of  the  pain  observed ;  i.  e.,  as  to  whether 
it  is  continuous  or  intermittent.  If  there  is  any  fever  all  food 
should  be  withheld  pending  the  arrival  of  a  veterinary  sur- 
geon, and  a  dose  administered  of  two  drachms  of  opium 
(diffused  with  half  an  ounce  of  nitric  ether)  mixed  with 
twelve  to  fifteen  ounces  of  linseed  oil. 

SPASMODIC    COLIC. 

If  the  attack  occurs  soon  after  the  horse  has  been 
watered  or  succeeds  a  chill  it  is  likely  that  the  colic  is  of  a 
spasmodic  character.  Treatment : 

1 .  Cover  the  horse  with  a  hood  and  two  or  more  suits  of  clothing. 

2.  Put  on  set  of  flannel  bandages. 

3.  Keep  the  horse  on  his  feet. 

4.  Rub  the  belly  with  ammonia  liniment. 

5.  Between  attacks  walk  the  horse. 


536  FLATULENT  COLIC  AND  LAMENESS. 

f  Nitric  ether,  i  oz.    "j  Rum,  gin,  whiskey,  pepper 

6.  Give  draught  of  J  Camphor,  T.%  dr.      >  or  ginger  may  be  used  if  no 

(^  Water,  12  ozs.  J  colic  draught  is  at  hand. 

7.  Give  an  injection  of  two  ounces  of  linseed  oil  mixed  in  a  quart  of 
water  as  warm  as  the  hand  can  continuously  bear  it.     Repeat  injection  every 
half  hour,  using  half  the  above  quantity. 

8.  When  attack  has  subsided  gradually  diminish  clothing  and  keep  the 
horse  on  soft  food  for  a  day  or  so. 

FLATULENT    COLIC. 

This  form  of  colic  is  indicated  by  the  distention  and 
extreme  sensitiveness  of  the  belly.  Treatment: 

1.  Cover  the  horse  with  a  hood  and  two  or  more  suits  of  clothing. 

2.  Put  on  a  set  of  flannel  bandages. 

3.  Keep  the  horse  on  his  feet. 

(  Camphor,  i  drachm. 

4.  Give  draught  of  1  Powdered  opium,  i  drachm. 

(^  Carbonate  of  ammonia,  i  drachm. 

5.  Rub  the  belly  with  ammonia  liniment. 

6.  Give  an  injection  of  two  ounces  of  linseed  oil  mixed  in  a  quart  of 
water  as  warm  as  the  hand  can  continuously  bear  it.     Repeat  injection  every 
half  hour,  using  half  the  above  quantity. 

7.  When  the  attack  has  subsided  gradually  diminish  clothing  and  keep 
the  horse  on  soft  food  for  a  day  or  so. 

LAMENESS. 

On  p.  432,  under  the  heading  "  Bandages,"  is  given  a 
list  of  the  various  lotions  used  in  the  treatment  of  sprains, 
etc.,  of  the  tendons  of  the  lower  part  of  the  legs. 

"  When  a  horse  becomes  lame,  the  shoulder  is  generally  supposed  to  be 
affected,  and,  embrocations  failing  to  give  the  desired  relief,  blistering, 
rowels,  and  setons  are  applied  with  much  needless  suffering  to  the  patient 
and  uncomplaining  horse. 

"  Very  often  the  legs  are  supposed  to  be  the  seat  of  the  trouble,  and, 
other  remedies  failing,  they  are  fired  with  red-hot  iron  and  blistered. 


LAMENESS.  537 

In  ninety  per  cent  of  all  horses  lame  in  front,  especially  in  cities,  the  seat 
of  trouble  is  in  the  fore  feet,  and  is  caused  either  by  a  contraction  of  the 
hoof  or  by  corns,  often  by  both,  for  the  corn,  which  is  really  a  bruise,  is  the 
result  of  contraction.  A  simple  but  decisive  test  in  deciding  whether  the 
lameness  is  in  the  foot  or  in  the  shoulder  is  to  lead  the  horse  over  some 
obstruction  sufficiently  high  to  cause  him  to  lift  his  feet  well  off  the  ground. 
If  he  steps  over  it  you  may  be  certain  the  lameness  is  not  in  the  shoulder ; 
but  if  he  cannot  step  above  it,  or  if  he  stubs  his  toe  against  it,  then  examine 
the  shoulder.  The  reason  is  that  the  muscles  of  the  shoulder  are  brought 
into  play  when  the  foot  is  raised  high  from  the  ground.  The  suffering  from 
contracted  feet  is  similar  to  that  experienced  by  a  person  wearing  a  tight 
shoe,  while  that  from  corns  resembles  the  pain  of  a  bruised  finger  nail. 

"  The  causes  of  these  maladies  are  numerous,  but  the  principal  cause  is 
neglect.  The  foot  cannot  grow  and  spread  naturally  without  abundance  of 
moisture.  The  wall  being  much  stronger  and  of"  a  more  rapid  growth,  its 
tendency  to  cramp  and  confine  the  other  parts  of  the  foot  is  greatly  increased 
when  their  expansive  powers  have  become  impaired  by  lack  of  moisture. 

"  Another  frequent  cause  of  contraction  is  the  lack  of  work  or  exercise, 
especially  if  the  animal  is  hitched  by  the  head  in  a  narrow  stall.  All  horses 
should  have  box  stalls,  if  possible,  because  the  freedom  of  movement  favors 
expansion  of  the  feet. 

"  Another  frequent  cause  of  contraction  and  lameness  in  the  fore  feet  is 
neglect  of  shoeing.  The  shoes  should  be  reset  or  new  ones  applied  once 
in  every  four  or  five  weeks.  Tight-fitting  shoes  and  the  paring  of  the  sole 
so  thin  that  it  is  readily  bruised  are  similar  causes  of  lameness. 

"  The  hind  feet  are  seldom  lame,  because  contraction  in  them  is  very 
rare  indeed ;  but  should  the  horse  show  signs  of  lameness,  examine  the  heels 
for  scratches,  also  the  ankle,  the  shin  and  the  hock,  the  stifle  and  the  hip 
joints.  If  at  any  time  either  a  fore  or  hind  foot  should  be  examined  for 
lameness  and  found  to  be  in  a  condition  that  precludes  the  possibility  of  it, 
there  is  a  strong  probability  that  the  horse  is  suffering  from  '  the  scratches,' 
as  very  often  a  slight  attack  will  cause  him  to  limp. 

"  It  should  be  a  rule  in  all  stables  that  the  feet  should  be  cleaned  out  and 
washed  every  morning,  and  again  at  night,  after  the  day's  toil  is  over.  This 
should  be  strictly  enforced,  to  the  exclusion,  if  need  be,  of  all  other  groom- 
ing. Do  not  think  from  the  above  that  the  importance  of  thorough  groom- 


538  EXCESSIVE  BLISTERING  TOO  COMMON. 

ing  is  understimated ;  quite  the  reverse,  but  unfortunately  too  many  seem  to 
forget  that  cleansing  the  foot  is  an  important  part  of  good  grooming,  and 
aside  from  the  healthful  results  to  the  feet  from  the  action  of  the  water  upon 
them,  the  animal  learns  to  stand  quietly  while  being  shod,  which  materially 
lessens  the  chance  of  abuse  from  the  blacksmith.  Another  advantage  is 
that  stones,  bits  of  glass  and  nails  are  sometimes  discovered,  also  raised 
clinches  and  loose  shoes,  and  besides,  the  regular  cleansing  of  the  feet  pre- 
vents such  diseases  as  thrush,  quittor,  rotten  sole,  scratches  and  grease  heels, 
all  of  which  have  their  primary  and  exciting  cause  in  dirt. 

'*  While  handling  a  horse's  feet,  be  careful  never  to  become  angry  and 
abuse  him ;  it  only  increases  his  restlessness,  and  the  probability  is  that  you 
are  holding  him  in  such  a  way  as  to  cramp  the  muscles  of  the  legs.  To 
punish  him  because  he  endeavors  to  jerk  away  his  foot  to  escape  pain  is 
positively  inhuman,  but  it  is  too  frequently  done. 

"  All  stabled  horses  should  have  their  feet  packed  regularly  and  kept  in 
such  a  condition  that  the  frog  (which  received  its  name  from  the  ancient  Greeks 
because  it  will  not  remain  healthy  without  moisture),  may  be  large,  full, 
well  spread,  and  feel  to  the  touch  like  India  rubber,  and  the  horn  of  a  con- 
sistency that  '  cuts  like  cheese '  under  the  farrier's  knife.  To  do  this  they 
should  be  packed  every  night,  if  necessary.  As  there  is  quite  a  difference  of 
opinion  among  horsemen  in  regard  to  the  relative  merits  of  the  different 
hoof  packings,  try,  therefore,  yourself,  and  ascertain  the  one  that  suits  you 
best." — H.  L.  Robbins  in  "Our  Animal  Friends:' 

EXCESSIVE    BLISTERING   TOO    COMMON. 

"Although  firing  is  an  operation  which  gives  excessive  pain  to  the  horse 
and  is  often  needlessly  performed,  the  sum  total  of  suffering  by  firing  to 
which  the  horse  is  subjected  at  the  hands  of  puzzled  veterinary  surgeons  is 
far  overbalanced  by  the  more  simple  but  more  common  operation  of  blister- 
ing. When  the  nature  of  a  joint  disease  is  unknown,  and  yields  not  to  ordi- 
nary treatment,  the  refuge  of  the  bold  clinical  observer  and  stable-yard 
adviser  is  to  fire  the  animal.  Putting  aside  suffering,  the  advice  is  safe ;  for 
the  natural  retort  to  any  questioning  is,  '  If  firing  does  not  cure  him,  nothing 
more  can  be  done.'  Firing,  however,  is  a  troublesome  undertaking,  while 
rubbing  in  a  strong  blistering  concretion  is  a  trifling  matter.  And  if  the 
horse  does  suffer  pain  for  a  few  days  after,  it  is  of  little  account  to  the 


COMMON  COLD  AND   WORMS.  539 

ignorant  groom,  who  can  display  his  blistering  ability  to  his  master  at  the 
slightest  opportunity,  although  he  dare  not  attempt  to  handle  firing  irons. 
There  is  but  rarely  a  private  stable  of  more  than  a  few  animals  in  which  the 
effects  of  blistering,  past  or  present,  may  not  be  witnessed  on  the  limbs  of 
one  of  the  animals.  If  blistering  were  a  <  cure-all,'  the  frequency  with  which 
it  is  adopted  might  be  tolerated.  But  its  curative  efficacy  in  ninety  per 
cent  of  the  instances  wherein  it  is  applied  is  more  than  doubtful." — Ex. 

COMMON    COLD. 

As  soon  as  the  horse  has  contracted  a  cold  no  time 
should  be  lost  in  preventing  the  congestion  from  becoming 
aggravated.  Fresh  air,  protection  from  draughts,  warm  cloth- 
ing and  exercise,  if  the  weather  conditions  are  favorable,  are 
all  that  will  be  required  under  ordinary  circumstances  to 
restore  the  horse  to  his  normal  condition.  If  the  bowels  do 
not  act  freely  one  or  more  injections  of  warm  water  should 
be  given  and  a  lighter  diet  of  bran,  linseed  gruel,  grass, 
etc.,  substituted  once  or  twice  a  day  for  the  regular  feed  of 
oats.  The  use  of  all  strong  purgatives  must  be  prohib- 
ited. Should  the  horse  fail  to  improve  in  a  day  or  so  or 
the  attack  be  not  discovered  until  fever  develops,  the  follow- 
ing medicine  may  be  given  to  advantage  once  or  twice  a  day : 

Sweet  spirits  of  nitre .  .  .  .  .  i  ounce. 
Nitrate  of  potash  .  .  .  V  .  2  drachms. 
Water  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  ^  pint. 

WORMS. 

"  Remedies  to  destroy  intestinal  worms  are  much  more  efficient  if  given 
after  a  long  fast,  and  then  the  worm  medicine  must  be  supplemented  by  a 
physic  to  carry  out  the  worms.  Among  the  best  worm  medicines  may  be 
mentioned  santonine,  turpentine,  tartar  emetic,  infusion  of  tobacco,  and 
bitter  tonics.  To  destroy  tapeworms,  areca  nut,  male  fern  and  pumpkin 
seeds  are  the  best.  If  a  horse  is  passing  the  long,  round  worms,  for  in- 


540  SHOE  BOIL  AND  DRENCHING  HORSES. 

stance,  the  plan  of  treatment  is  to  give  twice  daily,  for  three  or  four  days, 
a  drench  composed  of  turpentine  one  ounce,  and  linseed  oil  two  or  three 
ounces,  to  be  followed  on  the  fourth  day  by  a  physic  of  Barbadoes  aloes 
one  ounce.  If  the  pinworms  are  present  (the  ones  that  infest  the  large 
bowels),  injections  into  the  rectum  of  infusions  of  tobacco,  infusions  of 
quassia  chips,  one  half  pound  to  a  gallon  of  water,  once  or  twice  daily  for 
a  few  days,  and  followed  by  a  physic,  are  most  beneficial.  It  should  be 
borne  in  mind  that  intestinal  worms  are  mostly  seen  in  horses  that  are  in 
poor  condition ;  and  an  essential  part  of  our  treatment  then  is  to  improve 
the  appetite  and  powers  of  digestion.  This  is  best  done  by  giving  the 
vegetable  tonics.  One  half  ounce  of  Peruvian  bark,  gentian,  ginger,  quassi  •, 
etc.,  is  to  be  given  twice  a  day  in  the  feed  or  as  a  drench.  Unless  some 
such  medicines  and  good  food  and  pure  water  are  given  to  tone  up  the  di- 
gestive organs  the  worms  will  rapidly  accumulate  again,  even  though  they 
may  have  all  been  expelled  by  the  worm  medicines  proper." — Ch.  B. 
Michener,  V.  61.,  in  "  Special  Report  on  the  Diseases  of  Horses,"  U.  S.  Depart- 
ment of  Agriculture. 

SHOE    BOIL, 

The  boils  which  occur  on  the  elbow  are  usually  due 
to  the  pressure  of  the  shoe  when  the  horse  is  lying  down. 
The  boil  should  be  opened  and  after  the  matter  has  been 
drained  out,  a  three  per  cent  solution  of  zinc  sulphate  should 
be  injected  daily,  and  any  further  irritation  prevented  by  the 
use  of  a  shoe  boil  boot.  (See  Fig.  190,  p.  308.) 

DRENCHING     HORSES. 

"  Some  horses  are  difficult  to  drench,  and  serious  accidents  have  oc- 
curred during  the  operation,  although,  fortunately,  such  cases  are  rare. 
One  of  these,  however,  was  recently  brought  to  the  notice  of  a  correspond- 
ent. In  this  case  the  neck  and  shoulder  —  the  latter  broken  and  jagged  — 
of  the  bottle  by  which  a  horse  was  being  drenched  had  stuck  in  the  larynx, 
with,  of  course,  immediately  fatal  results.  The  bottle  had  evidently  got 
under  his  molar  teeth,  and  was  thus  broken.  An  accident,  of  course  ;  for  the 
proper  place  to  insert  the  neck  of  the  bottle,  as  every  stableman  knows,  is 


DRENCHING  BORSES. 


541 


in  the  space  between  the  front  and  back  teeth,  where  the  bit  of  a  bridle  is 
placed.  Although  such  accidents  as  the  one  we  have  mentioned  seldom 
happen,  it  is  well  to  observe  caution  when  drenching  a  horse.  The  horn  of 
an  ox  makes  a  good  drenching  instrument  —  one  fashioned  after  the  manner 
of  the  old  powder  horn  formerly  in  use  in  England,  and  now  not  uncommon 
among  Boers  in  .Cape  Colony.  Tin  drenching  bottles  will  also  protect 
against  any  damage  done  to  it  likely  to  injure  the  animal.  There  is  a  slight 
disadvantage,  however,  in  using  opaque  material.  A  glass  bottle  enables 
the  operator  to  see  the  exact  amount  of  the  liquid  consumed  at  any  time 
in  the  course  of  administering  the  drug,  an  observation  impossible  to  be 
made  in  the  case  of  horn  or  tin.  One  rule  in  drenching  a  horse  should 
always  be  observed.  As  soon  as  there  are  signs  that  the  horse  is  about  to 
cough,  his  head  should  be  let  down  —  or  let  free,  which  is  the  same  thing  — 
or  on  the  inspiration  following  the  cough  some  of  the  drench  will  probably 
enter  the  windpipe.  Inflammation  of  the  bronchial  tubes  is  a  common 
occurrence  where  this  precaution  is  not  carefully  observed."—  '-London  Live 
Stock  Journal. 


TABLE    OF    MEASURES. 


i  drachm 
or 

/8   OZ. 


A  Teaspoonful. 


L 


8  drachms 

or         ^4  Dessertspoonfuls, 
i  oz.       ) 


2  drachms^ 

or         v  A  Dessertspoonful. 


•*  drachms )  A  ^  r  ,       , 

nr         T  A  Feaspoonful  and 

C  Dessertspoonful. 


or 
oz. 


2  OZS. 

or 


4  ozs. 

or 
i  gill. 


-  A  Wine  Glassful. 


A  Tea  Cupful. 


4  drachms 
or 
oz. 


2  Dessertspoonfuls. 


CHAPTER   XX. 
HINTS   ON   DRIVING. 

ONE     HORSE  —  A    PAIR  —  TANDEM     AND     FOUR-IN-HAND 
SUPPLEMENTED   WITH    SOME  NOTES   ON  TANDEM 
AND    FOUR-IN-HAND    DRIVING 

BY  FREDERIC    ASHENDEN 
DRIVING. 

THE  same  principles  apply  to  the  driving  of  one  horse  as  to 
the  driving  of  a  pair.  First  look  your  horses  over  and  make 
sure  that  the  harness  is  properly  adjusted.  The  best  driver 
may  be  seriously  handicapped  by  the  carelessness  of  a  stable 
servant. 

POSITION    OF   THE    REINS. 

When  ready  to  start  hold  the  whip  in  the  palm  of  the  right 
hand  at  the  point  where  the  ferrule  encircles  the  handle. 

In  taking  up  the  reins  stand  on  the  off  side  (the  right 
hand  side  as  you  face  the  horse's  head)  about  a  foot  and  a 
half  away  from  the  pad,  face  slightly  forward. 

Pick  up  the  loop  at  the  buckle  end  of  the  reins  with  the 
little  finger  of  the  left  hand,  and  with  the  right  hand  remove 
the  reins  from  the  pad-terret.  Place  the  fore  and  middle  fin- 
gers of  the  left  hand  between  the  reins.  The  near  rein  (the 
left  one)  should  lie  over  the  index  finger. 

Step  back  until  you  are  on  a  line  with  the  horse's  hocks. 
Hold  the  left  hand  close  to  the  body.  Place  the  middle  fin- 
ger of  the  right  hand  between  the  reins  and  draw  them 

542 


POSITION   ON   THE   BOX. 


543 


through  the  fingers  of  the  left  hand  as  far  as  the  right  hand 
can  carry  them,  and  remove  the  right  hand.  (The  stitching 
where  the  two  parts  of  each  rein  are  sewed  together  should 
be  even.)  Under  ordinary  conditions  this  will  give  them  the 
proper  length  when  you  have  taken  your  position  on  the 
driving  seat. 

Now  transfer  the  reins  to  the  right  hand,  placing  the 
middle  and  index  fingers  of  the  right  hand  between  the  reins 
with  the  near  rein  over  the  index  finger.  Slip  the  loop  from 
the  little  finger  of  the  left  hand  onto  the  little  finger  of  the 
right  hand. 

As  soon  as  you 
have  mounted  take 
your  seat  on  the 
cushion  and  transfer 
the  reins  into  the  left 
hand,  the  near  rein 

over  the   forefinger  //       OFF  REIN 

and    the   off    rein 

1'   1A,I*  1    • 

under  the  middle 

finger.  At  the  same  time  slip  the  loop  from  the  little  finger 
of  the  right  hand  to  that  of  the  left  hand.  The  whip  should, 
from  the  first,  be  retained  in  the  right  hand. 


NEAR   REIN 


POSITION    ON    THE    BOX. 

The  body  should  be  erect,  but  without  stiffness,  the 
shoulders  parallel  with  the  seat,  the  elbows  kept  close  to  the 
sides  of  the  body  and  the  left  fore  arm  horizontal,  the  wrist 
so  flexed  that  the  tips  of  the  fingers  lightly  touch  the  centre 
of  the  waist.  (See  fig.  i.)  The  knees  and  heels  should  be 


544      STARTING,  LENGTHENING  AND  SHORTENING  REINS. 

kept  close  together,  and  the  feet  should  be  tucked  neither 
under  nor  extended  as  far  as  possible  in  front  of  the  body. 
The  legs  should  be  slightly  bent  at  the  knees. 


STARTING. 

Having  assured  yourself  that  the  reins,  as  held,  are  of 
even  and  correct  length,  start  your  horse  or  horses  by  a  light 
touch  of  the  whip,  at  the  same  time  drop  and  extend  the  left 
hand.  This  will  give  more  rein  and  thus  prevent  any  sudden 

pressure  on  the  bit  when 
the  horse  goes  up  into 
his  collar. 

When  the  horse  has 
taken  the  pace  at  which 
you  desire  him  to  go,  an 
even  one  of  from  seven 
to  nine  miles  per  hour  is 
the  best,  bring  your  left 


NEAR    REIN 


FIG.    2. 


wrist  up  so  that  the  fingers 
touch  the  waist  as  previously  described.  Maintain  as  far  as 
is  practicable  an  even  pressure  on  the  reins,  holding  them 
not  with  the  thumb,  but  between  the  palm  and  the  fingers. 

LENGTHENING   AND    SHORTENING    THE    REINS. 

When  changing  the  position  of  the  hands  let  the  reins  be 
held  always  by  the  hand  which  is  in  front. 

If  you  wish  to  lengthen  or  shorten  the  reins,  place  the 
second  and  little  fingers  of  the  right  hand  between  the  reins 
ten  or  twelve  inches  in  front  of  the  left  hand,  the  middle  and 
forefingers  of  the  right  hand  over  the  near  rein.  (See  fig.  2.) 


STOPPING  —  TURNING. 


545 


The  reins  may  now  be  either  shortened  or  lengthened  by 
sliding  the  left  hand  forward  or  backward.  As  soon  as  the 
desired  change  is  made  remove  the  right  hand.  When  it  is 
necessary  to  shorten  the  reins  more  than  can  be  done  by  one 
movement,  the  left  hand  instead  of  being  slid  up  may  be  used 
to  grasp  the  reins  in  front  of  the  right  hand,  and,  if  occasion 
requires  it,  this  hand  over  hand  movement  may  be  repeated. 


NEAR    REIN 


FIG. 


STOPPING. 

To  stop  the  horse  or  pair  under  ordinary  conditions,  raise 
the  left  hand  and  place  the  right  hand  on  the  reins  about 
eight  inches  in  front  of  the  left  hand  in  the  manner  described 
for  shortening  or  lengthening  the  reins.  Press  the  reins  in 
toward  the  body  with  the  right  hand.  Should  this  pressure 
be  insufficient  the  left  hand  may  be  advanced  in  front  of  the 
right  hand  and  the  reins  further  tightened. 

TURNING. 

In  turning  to  the  right  grasp  the  off  rein  with  the  little, 
second  and  middle  fingers.  Bend  the  little  finger  in  toward 

35 


546  THE    TANDEM  AND  FOUR-IN-HAND    WHIP. 

the  body.     Opposition  may  be  exerted  by  bending  the  left 
knuckle  in  toward  the  body.     (  See  fig.  3. ) 

In  turning  to  the  left,  place  the  thumb  and  forefinger  of  the 
right  hand  over  the  near  rein  and  grasp  the  rein  between 
the  middle  and  forefingers.  Opposition  may  be  exerted  on 
the  off  rein  by  the  little  and  second  fingers  of  the  right  hand. 

(See  fig.  4.) 

THE    TANDEM    AND 
FOUR-IN-HAND   WHIP. 

Before  taking  your 
reins  into  your  hand,  it  is 
absolutely  necessary  that 

NEAR    REIN        yQU     should     become     prQ. 

OFF  REIN     ,  ficient  in  handling  a  tan- 

FIG>  4  dem  or  four-in-hand  whip. 

One  of    the    simplest 
methods  of  learning  to  catch  a  double  thong  is  as  follows :  — 

Hold  the  whip  horizontally  in  front  of  you  with  the  end 
of  the  thong  held  between  the  handle  of  the  whip  and  your 
fingers.  Face  a  wall  or  the  side  of  a  building  and  with  the 
quill  end  of  the  whip  describe  a  letter  S  backwards.  Begin 
with  the  lower  tail  of  the  letter  following  its  form  to  the  upper 
end.  Don't  move  the  arm,  keep  the  elbow  easily  by  the  side, 
and  direct  the  movement  of  the  whip  by  turning  the  wrist. 
Continue  to  increase  the  speed  until  the  thong  falls  in  place. 
At  first  a  short  downward  movement  at  the  end  will  facilitate 
the  accomplishment  of  this  somewhat  difficult  feat. 

Another  method  is  to  catch  this  thong  over  the  head  in- 
stead of  in  front  or  to  the  side.  This  is  done  virtually  by  the 


TANDEM  AND  FOUR-IN-HAND  — POSITION  OF  REINS.     547 

same  movement,  the  imaginary  letter  S  being  horizontally 
overhead  instead  of  vertically  in  front  or  to  one  side. 

Still  another  method  involves  a  new  movement.  Hold  the 
whip  with  the  right  hand  against  the  waist  and  the  quill  end 
well  around  to  the  left  and  on  a  line  with  the  top  of  the  head. 
Carry  the  stick  at  this  angle  around  to  the  right  until  in  a 
line  with  the  right  shoulder.  In  so  doing  raise  the  right  hand 
gradually.  Now  drop  the  quill  end  of  the  whip  until  it  is  on 
a  line  with  the  handle.  This  last  movement  should  be  exe- 
cuted quickly  so  that  the  end  of  the  stick  strikes  the  thong 
on  the  right  hand  side  of  the  stick. 

When  the  thong  is  caught  it  is  wound  around  the  stick  in 
opposite  directions.  The  lower  end  should  be  unwound  with 
the  right  hand,  the  whip  being  held  between  the  thumb  and 
forefinger  of  the  left  hand.  The  end  of  the  thong  should  be 
rewound  in  the  same  direction  as  the  upper  part  and  held  in 
place  by  the  right  hand.  The  loop  should  be  about  two  feet 
and  a  half  long  and  caught  on  the  quill  part  of  the  stick. 

TANDEM   AND    FOUR-IN-HAND. 

POSITION    OF    THE    REINS. 

In  taking  up  the  reins  stand  about  two  feet  from  the  pad 
of  the  off  wheeler.  Remove  the  reins  from  the  pad-terret  or 
trace  tug  and  allow  them  to  fall  to  the  ground. 

First  take  up  the  near  lead  rein  with  the  left  hand,  placing 
the  little,  second  and  middle  fingers  under  the  rein.  Drop  the 
left  hand  to  the  side,  allowing  the  reins  to  slip  through  the 
fingers.  Tighten  the  fingers  over  the  rein  at  this  point. 
Now  raise  the  left  hand  and  place  the  little  and  second  fingers 
under  the  off  lead  rein.  Drop  the  hand  to  the  side  as  before. 


548 


POSITION   OF  THE   REINS. 


The  parts  where  the  reins  are  joined  should  hang  evenly  in 
front  of  the  left  hand.  The  reins  may  be  adjusted  by  taking 
the  rein  that  is  to  be  drawn  out  between  the  middle  and  in- 
dex fingers  of  the  right  hand.  The  reins  should  now  be 
transferred  into  the  right  hand  separated  by  the  middle  finger. 
(See  fig.  5.) 

Take  up  the  wheel  reins  in  the  left  hand  separating  them 
with  the  middle  finger,  the  hear  wheel  rein  on  top.  Drop 
the  left  hand  to  the  side  as  described  in  the  preceding  para- 


NEAR  WHEEL 


OFF  WHEEL 


NEAR  LEAD 
^ 

OFF  LEAD 


FIG.  5. 


graph.  Now  raise  the  hand  and  adjust  the  reins,  with  the 
thumb  and  forefinger  of  the  right  hand,  so  that  the  buckles 
on  the  wheel  reins  hang  evenly. 

Pass  the  lead  reins  into  the  left  hand,  the  near  rein  over 
the  index  finger  and  the  off  lead  rein  under  the  index  finger 
and  on  top  of  the  near  wheel  rein.  (See  fig.  6.) 

When  taking  up  the  reins  draw  each  in  turn  gently 
through  the  terrets,  tight  enough  merely  to  "feel"  the  bit 
without  causing  the  horse  to  flex  his  neck  or  make  any 
backward  movement. 


POSITION   ON  THE   BOX. 


549 


Step  back  to  the  wheelers'  hocks,  and,  keeping  the  left  hand 
against  the  body,  take  the  reins  with  the  right  hand  in  the 
same  order  as  they  are  in  the  left  hand.  With  the  right 
hand  close  in  front  of  the  left  one,  draw  the  reins  through 
the  fingers  of  the  left  hand  as  far  as  the  right  arm  can  be 
extended,  and  then  remove  the  right  hand. 

As  soon  as  this  is  done,  take  the  whip  in  the  right  hand 
from  the  footboard  (if  a  tandem),  or  from  the  backs  of  the 
wheelers  (if  a  four-in-hand),  and  transfer  the  reins  into  the 


OFF    WHEEL 

OFF    LEAD 
FIG.   6. 


right  hand  in  the  same  order  as  they  were  held  in  the  left 
hand.     The  reins  are  now  to  one  side  and  out  of  your  way  in 


mounting. 


Place  your  left  foot  on  the  hub,  your  right  on  the  roller- 
bolt,  then  the  left  foot  on  the  body  step,  and  the  right  one  on 
the  foot  board.  Take  your  seat  as  soon  as  possible  and  trans- 
fer the  reins  back  into  the  left  hand  in  the  original  order. 


POSITION    ON    THE    BOX. 


The  correct  position  of  the  feet,  legs,  body,  arms,  and  hands 
has  been  described  in  the  notes  on  driving  a  single  horse  or  a 
pair. 


550  STARTING. 


STARTING. 

As  soon  as  you  are  ready  to  start,  the  horses  should  be 
brought  up  in  their  collars  so  that  the  traces  are  taut  and 
some  signal  given  to  the  servants,  who  should  remove  the 
blankets  or  sheets  which  have  been  thrown  over  the  horses' 
quarters.  Shorten  your  leaders'  reins  about  a  foot  by  taking 
them  out  of  the  left  hand,  placing  the  middle  finger  of  the 
right  hand  between  them,  and  replacing  the  reins  in  the  left 
hand  by  carrying  the  right  hand  behind  the  left  one.  Take 
off  the  break  as  quietly  as  possible.  Now  advance  the  right 
hand  and  put  the  little  and  second  fingers  over  the  two  oft 
reins,  the  middle  and  index  finger  so  placed  over  the  two 
near  reins  that  the  latter  may  be  grasped.  By  having  the 
right  hand  in  this  position  you  may  stop  abruptly,  guide  to 
the  left  or  right,  or,  with  a  slight  change  of  the  hands,  hold 
back  the  wheelers  by  placing  the  middle  finger  between  the 
reins  with  the  forefinger  over  the  near  wheel  rein,  holding 
the  off  wheel  rein  with  the  little  and  second  fingers. 

Having  thus  prepared  for  emergencies,  keep  the  hands  on 
the  reins,  but  drop  and  extend  the  hands.  At  the  same  time 
signal  to  your  horses  by  a  short  one  or  two  note  whistle  as  an 
indication  to  them  that  you  are  ready  to  start.  The  horses 
soon  become  accustomed  to  this  signal  which  is  better  than 
any  other  since  it  is  heard  at  the  same  instant  by  both  leader 
and  wheeler.  After  the  horses  have  gotten  into  motion,  bring 
the  left  hand  up  into  position  near  the  centre  of  the  waist  and 
remove  the  right  hand  from  the  reins,  holding  it  slightly  in 
advance  of  the  left  one. 


TO  SHORTEN  OR  LENGTHEN  THE  REINS.  551 

TO    SHORTEN    OR    LENGTHEN    THE    REINS. 

To  shorten  or  lengthen  the  lead  reins,  place  the  middle 
finger  of  the  right  hand  between  the  lead  reins  directly  or  at 
some  little  distance  in  front  of  the  left  hand,  depending  upon 
how  much  the  lead  reins  are  to  be  taken  up  or  lengthened. 
If  you  wish  to  lengthen  them,  tighten  the  fingers  of  the  right 
hand  and  draw  the  reins  out  to  the  desired  distance.  Should 
you  wish  to  shorten  the  lead  reins,  take  them  out  of  the  left 
hand,  and  in  putting  them  back  bring  the  left  hand  behind 
the  right  one.  Do  not  advance  the  left  hand. 

To  lengthen  or  shorten  the  wheel  reins,  place  the  right 
hand  under  the  lead  reins  and  grasp  the  wheel  reins  in  the 
same  manner  as  described  for  taking  up  the  lead  reins.  The 
wheel  reins  can  now  be  either  pushed  back  or  drawn  through 
the  fingers  of  the  left  hand. 

TO    STRAIGHTEN    THE    TEAM. 

Should  the  leaders  work  over  to  the  right  of  the  wheelers, 
grasp  the  two  reins,  which  are  between  the  second  and  middle 
fingers  of  the  left  hand,  between  the  middle  and  index  fingers 
of  the  right  hand.  Draw  these  reins  (the  off  lead  and  the  near 
wheel)  out  a  little,  and  it  will  be  seen  that  it  has  the  effect  of 
bringing  the  team  into  line.  Should  the  leaders  work  over  to 
the  left  of  the  wheelers,  instead  of  drawing  the  centre  reins 
out,  work  them  a  little  further  back  through  the  fingers  of  the 
left  hand. 

STOPPING. 

When  it  is  desired  to  stop  the  team,  raise  the  left  hand, 
and,  placing  the  right  hand  over  the  reins,  twelve  inches  in 


552 


TURNING. 


front  of  the  left  hand,  as  described  in  a  preceding  paragraph, 
press  the  reins  in  toward  the  body  with  the  right  hand. 


TURNING. 

To  turn  to  the  right,  shorten  the  leaders'  reins  so  that  the 
lead  bars  hang  slack  and  place  the  little,  second  and  middle 
fingers  over  the  off  lead  rein  about  five  inches  in  front  of  the 
left  hand  (depending  upon  how  sharp  a  turn  you  desire  to 
make).  Draw  the  off  lead  rein  back  over  the  forefinger  of 
the  left  hand,  first  raising  the  left  thumb.  Whenever  you 

think  you  have  short- 
ened the  rein  suffici- 
ently drop  the  thumb 
on  the  loop  thus 
made.  (  See  fig.  7. ) 
Place  the  right 
hand  over  the  off 
reins  and  be  ready  to 
grasp  the  off  wheel 
rein  from  the  inside 
with  the  little  and  second  fingers,  should  the  off  wheeler 
fail  to  follow  the  off  leader  in  making  the  turn.  At  the 
same  time  place  the  middle  finger  of  the  right  hand  be- 
tween the  near  wheel,  and  the  near  lead  rein  with  the  fore- 
finger over  the  latter,  and  thus  be  ready  to  exert  opposition 
should  the  horses  on  the  near  side  turn  too  quickly.  By 
placing  the  middle  finger  between  the  lead  reins  they  may 
be  operated  separately  or  together. 

It  will  be  seen  that  the  wheelers  may  be  drawn  back  to- 
gether at  any  time  in  making  the  turn.     As  soon  as  the  turn 


OFF  LEAD 

OFF  WHEEL' 


NEAR  LEAD 


NEAR  WHEEL 


FIG.    7. 


TURNING   ACUTE   ANGLES.  553 

has  been  completed  lift  the  left  thumb  and  let  out  the  loop  of 
the  off  lead  rein,  then,  after  giving  the  leaders  more  rein,  let 
the  hands  resume  the  position  shown  in  fig.  6. 

To  turn  to  the  left,  shorten  the  leaders'  rein  so  that  the 
lead  bars  hang  slack  and  place  the  little,  second  and  middle 
fingers  over  the  near  lead  rein  about  five  inches  in  front  of 
the  left  hand  (  depending  upon  how  sharp  a  turn  you  wish  to 
make  ).  Draw  the  near  lead  rein  back  over  the  forefinger  of 
the  left  hand,  first  raising  the  thumb.  Whenever  you  think 
you  have  shortened  the  rein  sufficiently,  drop  the  thumb  on 
the  loop  thus  made.  Grasp  the  off  lead  rein  with  the  little 
and  second  fingers  of  the  right  hand  and  insert  the  middle 
finger  between  the  off  and  near  wheel  reins.  The  near 
wheeler  may  be  made  to  follow  the  near  leader  by  tightening 
the  near  wheel  rein  with  the  middle  and  forefingers.  Oppo- 
sition may  be  exerted  on  each  or  both  off  reins ;  or  the 
wheelers  may  be  drawn  back  together.  When  the  turn  has 
been  made  drop  the  loop  and  after  giving  the  leaders  more 
rein,  allow  the  hands  to  resume  the  position  shown  in  fig.  6. 

TURNING  ACUTE  ANGLES. 

In  turning  an  acute  angle  to  the  right,  take  up  the  leaders 
as  has  been  previously  described.  Then  with  the  right  hand 
reach  over  the  lead  reins,  and,  grasping  the  near  wheel  rein 
with  the  little,  second  and  middle  fingers,  bring  it  up  to  the 
left  of  the  lead  rein  and  back  over  the  index  finger  of  the  left 
hand,  dropping  the  rein  down  in  front  of,  and  around,  the 
thumb,  in  such  a  manner  that  the  rein  will  be  held  in  place 
by  the  fleshy  part  of  the  thumb  near  the  wrist.  Now  make 
a  ten-inch  loop  with  the  off  lead  rein,  holding  the  loop  in 


554  TURNING   ACUTE   ANGLES. 

place  with  the  thumb,  and,  reaching  under  the  lead  reins  make, 
in  a  similar  manner,  a  point  with  the  off  wheel  rein.  After 
the  turn  is  made  first  drop  the  points,  then  the  opposition 
over  the  thumb,  and  finally  let  out  your  leaders. 

In  turning  an  acute  angle  to  the  left,  first  take  up  the 
leaders,  then  place  the  right  hand  under  the  off  lead  rein,  and 
push  back  toward  the  body  the  off  wheel  rein  through  the 
fingers  of  the  left  hand,  and  make  the  two  points  with  the 
near  lead  and  wheel  reins.  After  the  turn  has  been  made, 
draw  out  the  off  wheel  rein  with  the  right  hand  until  the 
buckles  on  the  hand  pieces  are  even.  Then  let  out  the  off 
wheel  rein  and  the  two  points  as  described  in  preceding 
paragraph. 

In  turning  a  right  angle  as  from  an  avenue  into  a  street, 
make  the  point,  i.e.  loop,  over  the  forefinger  when  the  leaders' 
fore  feet  have  reached  the  corner. 

In  going  down  hill  take  up  your  leaders  so  that  the  lead 
bars  hang  slack  arid  then  shorten  all  four  reins. 

If  your  reins  become  misplaced,  keep  your  team  going 
unless  approaching  or  on  a  sharp  decline.  Under  the  latter 
conditions  have  the  servants  run  to  the  horses'  heads  and 
bring  them  to  a  stop  as  quickly  as  possible.  It  is  much  easier 
to  re-adjust  the  reins  when  the  horses  are  going  than  to  try 
to  stop  them.  Find  the  lead  reins  and  take  them  in  the  right 
hand  with  the  middle  finger  between  them,  then  with  the 
thumb  and  forefinger  of  the  right  hand  place  the  wheel  reins 
in  their  proper  position,  and  when  this  is  accomplished  return 
the  lead  reins  to  the  left  hand.  Remember  the  off  rein 
belongs  on  top  of  the  near  ones. 

It  is  advisable  to  have  "  stops  "  of  leather  placed  upon  the 
lead  reins  just  behind  the  coupling  buckles  in  order  to  pre- 


-—  u 


o  " 

CQ  " 


si 

§8 


-      O 


NOTES  ON  TANDEM  AND  FOUR-IN-HAND   DRIVING.     555 

vent  these  buckles  from  catching  in  the  wheelers'  terrets.  The 
crupper  should  be  sewed,  not  buckled  to  the  crupper  straps 
of  the  leaders,  and  the  point  of  the  loop  which  passes  through 
the  D  in  leaders'  pad,  should  not  extend  beyond  the  last 
keeper.  Wherever  it  is  practicable  the  possibility  of  the  lead 
reins  becoming  entangled  should  be  eliminated. 


NOTES   ON   TANDEM    AND    FOUR-IN-HAND    DRIVING. 

BY  FREDERIC   ASHENDEN. 

AFTER  thirty-five  years'  experience  in  coaching  both  in 
this  country  and  in  England,  I  venture  to  submit  the  follow- 
ing information  and  advice  to  novices  in  four-in-hand  driving, 
which  I  trust  will  be  of  use  to  them. 

First  of  all,  I  must  state  that  I  do  not  agree  with  some 
authorities  on  driving  that  tandem  is  easier  than  four-in- 
hand,  except  for  the  difference  in  the  weight  of  reins  and 
four  horses'  heads  (a  team  that  carry  their  heads  properly 
should  require  no  checks,  unless  for  a  park  team,  where 
appointments  count)  instead  of  two,  and  also  unless  the 
leader  is  perfect,  or  the  tandem  a  thoroughly  schooled'  one. 
A  tandem  leader  —  a  perfect  one  —  is  quite  the  hardest 
kind  of  harness  horse  to  find,  the  world  over. 

In  tandem  the  leader  can  almost  do  anything  he  chooses, 
turn  round  and  look  at  you,  nearly  get  into  the  cart,  or  get 
tangled  up  with  a  passing  vehicle ;  whereas  with  a  four-in- 
hand,  if  a  leader  shies  or  is  frightened  in  any  way,  his  mate 
will  help  to  keep  him  straight,  because  two  horses  hardly 
ever  shy  at  the  same  object  simultaneously. 


556     NOTES   ON  TANDEM  AND  FOUR-IN-HAND  DRIVING. 

It  has  ever  been  my  custom  (and  it  always  worked  well 
and  gave  satisfaction)  to  give  a  tandem  pupil  half  a  dozen 
lessons  in  four-in-hand  first,  because  the  reins  are  more 
easily  handled  as  they  do  not  run  up  to  the  hand  so  close 
together  as  in  tandem.  Furthermore,  the  pupil  has  more 
confidence  after  driving  four,  and  does  not  get  tired  so 
soon  on  account  of  the  decreased  weight,  as  already  men- 
tioned. The  beginner  who  can  afford  an  establishment  of 
his  own  should  be  most  particular  in  engaging  a  thoroughly 
competent  head  man  —  one  who  has  absolute  knowledge  of 
all  the  work  in  connection  with  coaching.  Such  men,  in  the 
United  States,  I  regret  to  say,  are  nearly  as  scarce  as  hens' 
teeth. 

Learn  to  catch  the  thong  and  handle  the  whip  properly ; 
it  looks  easy,  but  it  is  one  of  the  most  difficult  parts  of  the 
business.  Many  (too  many)  who  have  been  driving  for  years 
are  to-day  unable  to  catch  a  double  thong  and  use  the  whip 
with  skill  and  safety.  A  beginner  should  constantly  practise 
with  the  whip,  and  know  how  to  handle  it,  before  he  takes 
the  reins  in  his  hand  ;  he  can  then  handle  them  without 
half  as  much  trouble. 

Another  most  important  matter  for  the  novice  to  know 
before  getting  on  the  box,  is  to  thoroughly  understand  how 
to  put  to  and  take  out  a  four-in-hand.  Two  men  at  least 
are  absolutely  necessary  in  putting  a  team  (four)  in  harness. 
When  putting  in  the  wheelers,  one  man  ought  to  stand  by 
their  heads  ;  the  other  then  puts  the  pole-chains  through  the 
ring  on  the  hames  sufficiently  tight  to  keep  the  horses  from 
running  back  to  the  splinter  bar.  Then  he  goes  to  the 
traces.  The  outside  traces  of  the  wheelers  and  leaders 
should  be  put  on  first ;  in  taking  the  horses  out  take  off  the 


NOTES    ON  TANDEM  AND   FOUR-IN-HAND   DRIVING.     557 

inside  traces  first.  The  leaders  should  be  taken  out  first, 
and  the  wheelers  put  to  first.  The  reason  for  putting  on 
the  outside  trace  first  is  to  prevent  the  horse  from  swinging 
around  and  possibly  pulling  the  collar  over  his  head  and  thus 
becoming  practically  loose.  The  ordinary  coachman  and 
stableman  will  ever  persist  —  out  of  pure  ignorance  —  in 
putting  on  the  wrong  trace  first,  at  the  risk  of  being  kicked 
and  at  the  danger  of  having  the  coach  smashed,  especially 
with  a  "green  "  team.  After  adjusting  the  wheelers'  traces 
the  servant  should  go  back  to  the  pole-chains  and  pull  them 
up  to  a  proper  and  comfortable  length.  The  wheelers' 
traces  and  pole-chains  should  never  be  too  tight,  else  the 
horses  cannot  work  in  comfort,  and  sore  shoulders  and 
withers  are  the  result.  Tight  pole-chains  will  pull  the  collar 
away  from  the  horse's  shoulders,  causing  him  to  work  un- 
comfortably and  to  the  annoyance  of  the  driver,  who,  if  a 
novice,  will  wonder  at  the  cause. 

That  done,  couple  the  wheelers  by  putting  the  reins 
either  in  the  cheek,  middle,  or  bottom  bar,  according  to  the 
way  each  horse  (of  the  four)  is  accustomed  to  being  bitted 
and  drives  best.  The  leaders  should  then  be  put  to,  the 
traces  on  first,  then  coupled,  as  were  the  wheelers.  With 
such  a  team  (green),  or  four  horses  who  have  never  been 
driven  together,  I  have  found  from  experience  that  the  best 
way  to  bit  them  is  to  put  all  in  the  middle  bar  outside  and 
cheek  inside,  until  the  driver  finds  out  how  they  work, 
their  mouths,  dispositions,  etc.,  and  then  adjust  the  bitting 
accordingly.  For  instance,  if  you  find  a  horse  light  mouthed, 
then  put  him  cheek  both  sides;  if  a  puller,  put  him  in  the 
middle  bar  both  sides,  or  bottom  bar  if  necessary.  Don't 
own  a  puller  if  you  want  a  comfortable  drive.  The  inside 


558     NOTES   ON  TANDEM  AND  FOUR-IN-HAND  DRIVING. 

rein  of  either  wheeler  or  leader  who  is  inclined  to  carry  his 
head  higher  than  his  mate,  should  be  underneath.  These 
are  most  important  points,  for  unless  a  team  works  together, 
driving  becomes  a  pain — torture  in  fact  —  instead  of  being 
a  pleasure. 

Frequently  it  occurs  that  one  leader  or  wheeler  (some- 
times one  of  each)  is  less  free  than  the  other.  Then  the 
couplings  should  be  let  out  accordingly,  until  the  driver 
sees  for  himself  that  they  are  all  working  evenly,  or,  if 
necessary,  let  out  the  slack  horse  (or  horses)  four  holes,  and 
take  the  free  one  back  a  hole.  The  traces,  also,  can  be 
lengthened  or  shortened  according  to  necessity,  to  make 
all  work  evenly.  These  changes  should  be  made  as  often 
as  seems  necessary  for  a  few  days,  and  then  if  the  team  does 
not  work  together,  the  owner  may  feel  reasonably  sure  that 
his  horses  will  never  make  a  level  going  lot. 

Similar  mouths  and  dispositions  are  great  factors  in  the 
make-up  of  a  comfortable  four  to  drive.  The  same  average 
speed  is  also  essential.  One  slow  horse,  especially  a  leader, 
spoils  the  whole  outfit. 

Another  point  in  connection  with  a  u  green  "  lot  is  to 
44  lap  "  (cross)  the  leaders'  traces,  fastening  the  trace  to  the 
same  lead  bar  as  if  not  crossed.  This  helps  considerably 
to  keep  them  together,  as,  for  instance,  if  one  leader  shies, 
the  other  will  help  to  keep  him  in  his  place,  for  as  already 
stated,  two  horses  seldom  shy  at  the  same  object  at  the 
same  time. 

When  starting  a  four,  after  getting  the  reins  in  proper 
position  as  to  length  and  couplings,  so  that  the  horses' 
mouths  can  be  felt,  call  out  "  Pull  up  "  (not  "  Get  up  "),  drop 
your  hand  sufficiently  to  give  them  their  heads,  allowing 


NOTES   ON  TANDEM  AND   FOUR-IN-HAND   DRIVING.     559 

the  horses  to  get  into  the  collar  without  jerking  and  snatch- 
ing. Do  not  use  the  whip  or  "cluck"  —  in  fact,  never 
"cluck"  to  a  four-in-hand,  because  the  horse  (or  horses) 
who  is  already  doing  the  most  work  will  do  all  the  more 
and  thus  make  everything  very  uncomfortable.  Use  the 
whip  on  the  slack  horses  after  you  have  got  them  started, 
but  with  as  little  noise  as  possible,  else  it  will  have  a  worse 
effect  on  the  free  ones  than  "clucking." 

No  one  should  ever  attempt  to  drive  a  four  unless  he  or 
she  has  had  several  lessons  from  an  experienced  and  com- 
petent teacher,  and  after  that  ought  not  to  take  out  his 
family  or  friends,  if  he  has  any  regard  for  their  necks  or 
his  own,  until  he  has  had  at  least  a  year's  constant  practice 
both  in  town  and  country  —  especially  the  former,  as  driving 
a  well  mannered  team  on  good  country  roads  is  child's  play 
compared  to  "tooling"  them  through  the  traffic  of  crowded 
streets  and  parks. 

Horses  most  suitable  for  coaching,  either  park  or  road 
work,  should  consist  of  wheelers  15-3  hands,  leaders  15-2 
hands,  with  breedy  heads  and  necks.  If  such  a  four  have 
sufficient  weight,  bone  and  substance,  they  will  and  can  do 
as  much  work  as  a  team  measuring  16  hands  or  over,  and 
stand  the  wear  and  tear  far  better.  Wheelers  should  be 
considerably  heavier  than  leaders.  On  fairly  good  roads 
four  horses  should  be  able  to  travel  at  an  average  of  ten 
miles  an  hour.  The  leaders'  traces  on  a  level  road  ought 
always  to  appear  slack,  allowing  the  bars  to  clatter  a  little, 
or,  as  it  is  termed  in  coaching  parlance,  make  some  "  music." 

In  going  down  hill,  take  all  four  well  in  hand,  then  take 
the  leaders  well  back,  as  they  must  do  no  work  at  all. 
Going  up  hill,  a  coachman  may  "  spring  "  or  gallop  them, 


560     NOTES    ON   TANDEM  AND   FOUR-IN-HAND   DRIVING. 

not  too  fast,  allowing  the  leaders  to  do  an  equal  share  of  the 
work ;  it  is  then,  and  only  then,  that  their  traces  should 
be  really  tight.  When  their  traces  look  slack  on  a  level 
road,  they  are  in  reality  doing  their  full  share  of  the  work 
—  in  fact,  leaders  invariably  sweat  and  tire  sooner  than  the 
wheelers;  so  much  so  that  on  a  long  stage,  in  the  olden 
days,  the  horses  were  frequently  reversed  —  leaders  put  in 
the  wheel  —  to  rest  the  former. 


PREPARING  TO  MOUNT,  AND  PROPER  SEAT. 


CHAPTER   XXI. 
RIDING  AND   DRIVING   FOR  WOMEN. 

BY  BELLE  BEACH. 

"  Your  'ead  and  your  'eart  keep  bravely  up, 

Your  'ands  and  your  'eels  keep  down. 
Your  knees  keep  close  to  your  'orse's  sides 
And  your  elbows  close  to  your  own." 

RIDING  is  more  popular  among  women  to-day  than  it  has 
ever  been  before.  Novices  are  taking  lessons,  and  those 
who  dropped  it  are  taking  it  up  again,  and  it  has  become  as 
important  a  part  in  the  education  of  a  child  as  mathematics, 
music,  or  dancing. 

There  is  an  old  and  very  true  saying :  "  Riders  are  born, 
not  made."  Yet  being  born  with  a  gift  for  horsemanship  is 
no  more  all-sufficient  than  being  born  with  a  beautiful  voice, 
or  a  genius  for  painting.  The  voice  must  be  cultivated,  the 
painter  must  study  his  art,  and  the  rider  must  be  trained. 
Self-made  riders  are  apt  to  scorn  what  we  call  form,  yet 
they  should  know  that  form  is  neither  fad  nor  fashion,  and 
is  most  essential  in  both  riding  and  driving. 

Women  commencing  to  ride  must  realize  that  ten,  twenty, 
or  forty  lessons  will  not  make  experienced  horsewomen  of 
them.  Riding  looks  easy,  and  it  is,  but  not  easy  to  learn 
(and  I  would  like  to  add,  to  teach);  age  makes  no  especial 
difference,  but  in  riding,  as  in  everything  else,  the  earlier 
one  takes  it  up  the  greater  advantage  one  has.  I  do  not 
approve  of  a  very  small  child  learning  to  ride.  Young 

36  561 


562  A   LADY'S  SADDLE   HORSE. 

children's  legs  are  so  short  that  it  is  hard  for  them  to 
keep  their  balance,  and  upon  balance  depends  so  much 
in  the  saddle.  Seven  years  is  a  good  age  for  a  child  to 
commence  riding. 

It  is  best  for  a  beginner  to  commence  on  a  quiet  horse, 
and  be  contented  to  go  slowly  at  first.  By  slowly  I  mean 
one  should  not  be  ambitious  to  trot  before  knowing  how 
to  hold  the  reins,  or  to  canter  before  knowing  how  to 
trot.  Another  advantage  in  using  a  quiet  horse  the  first 
few  rides  is  that  it  allows  one  to  gain  confidence  in  one's 
self.  If  the  rider  will  only  be  patient  in  the  beginning  she 
will  find  it  greatly  to  her  advantage  in  the  end. 

A  LADY'S  SADDLE  HORSE. 

It  seems  a  pity  that  no  established  type  of  woman's 
saddle  horse  has  yet  been  set  by  the  National  Horse  Show 
Association.  A  recognized  type  would  be  of  inestimable 
value  to  both  breeders  and  exhibitors.  Different  judges. with 
their  own  ideas  are  employed  in  the  different  shows,  and,  to 
use  a  slang  expression,  u  we  are  kept  guessing." 

The  typical  saddle  horse,  or  park  hack,  for  a  woman  should 
have  a  neck  long  enough  to  give  length  of  rein,  a  well  bred 
and  well  carried  head  with  fine  crest.  An  intelligent  eye  and 
small  well  pointed  ears  add  much  to  appearance.  The  length 
of  back  should  be  in  proportion  to  the  saddle  which  is  to 
cover  it.  The  shoulders  sloping  and  withers  sufficiently 
sharp  to  carry  the  saddle.  Round  quarters  and  barrel  with 
depth  of  girth,  dock  placed  high  to  give  a  good  top  line,  and 
a  set  of  legs  showing  bone  to  support  the  above. 

The  paces  should  be  smooth  and  well  balanced  and  not 
show  excessive  action.  The  walk  free  and  elastic,  without  a 


MOUNTING  AND  DISMOUNTING.  563 

tendency  to  "  jigjog."     The  trot  and  canter  thoroughly  "  col- 
lected "  with  hind  legs  carried  well  under  the  body. 

Above  all  things  a  woman's  horse  must  possess  manners; 
they  are  absolutely  essential  for  the  rider's  pleasure,  appear- 
ance, and  safety,  and  a  horse  can  have  the  best  of  manners 
with  plenty  of  spirit  and  yet  be  perfectly  tractable. 

MOUNTING   AND   DISMOUNTING. 

In  mounting  from  the  ground  first  gather  the  reins  in 
the  right  hand  and  then  grasp  the  upper  pommel,  place  the 
left  hand  on  the  lower  pommel,  or  leaping  horn,  and  face 
slightly  towards  your  horse's  shoulder;  put  the  ball  of  the 
left  foot  in  the  groom's  right  hand,  and  at  an  agreed  signal 
straighten  the  left  knee  and  spring  simultaneously  from  his 
hand  as  he  gives  a  sudden  upward  impetus ;  you  will  find 
yourself  sitting  sideways  on  the  saddle.  Put  the 'right  knee 
over  the  pommel,  the  left  foot  in  the  stirrup,  get  your  habit 
into  place,  have  the  straps  adjusted,  and  transfer  the  reins 
to  the  left  hand.  Mounting  from  the  ground  is  quite  a 
knack  and  requires  some  practice,  not  only  on  your  part 
but  on  the  part  of  the  groom. 

In  mounting  unaided  from  the  ground  lower  the  stirrup 
to  the  last  hole,  place  the  left  foot  in  the  iron,  the  hands 
on  the  pommels,  and  spring  into  the  saddle.  Once  mounted 
adjust  the  stirrup  to  its  proper  length. 

In  dismounting  put  the  reins  in  the  right  hand  and  with 
the  left  free  yourself  of  your  habit  straps.  Take  the  left  foot 
from  the  stirrup,  lift  the  right  knee  from  the  pommel,  being 
sure  you  free  the  skirt  at  the  same  time,  put  both  hands  on 
the  pommels  and  spring  lightly  to  the  ground.  If  there  is  a 
groom  ready  to  assist  you  in  dismounting,  he  should  hold 


564 


THE  PROPER   SEAT. 


THE    PROPER    SEAT. 

proper  position  of 
the  legs,  other  diffi- 
culties will  be  over- 
come. 

The  rider  should 
sit  upon  the   saddle 
neither  more  to  the     INCORRECT 
right  than  to  the  left,  POSITION. 

but  squarely  in  the 
centre.  The  right  leg  should  be 
well  down  on  the  saddle,  and  the 
right  knee  should  pull  back  on  the 
upper  pommel  ;  the  grip  with  the 
right  leg  comes  from  underneath 
the  knee  and  a  little  below  it,  the 


your  horse  with  the  left  hand,  and 
proffer  his  arm,  stiff,  and  crooked 
at  the  elbow.  This  you  touch 
lightly  with  your  left  hand  as  you 
spring. 

THE    PROPER    SEAT. 

Balance  is  one  of  the  most 
important  laws  in  riding.  The 
first  lesson 
should  be  de- 
voted to  balance 
and  nothingelse. 
If  a  rider  will 
remember  that  a 
good  seat  de- 
pends upon  the 


INCORRECT   POSITION. 


HANDS.  565 

remainder  of  the  right  leg  should  hang  easily.  This  and 
nothing  else,  gives  the  firm,  square  seat,  and  if  the  right, 
knee  is  in  the  proper  place,  the  right  shoulder  (the  most 
defective  part)  will  not  be  forward  or  down,  but  in  line,  and 
the  shoulders  will  be  as  square  as  a  man's.  The  left  knee 
should  not  be  pressed  up  against  the  pommel,  or  leaping 
horn,  but  should  be  held  in  firmly  against  the  saddle  in  the 
same  position  as  a  man's  knee.  The  stirrup  foot  should  be 
held  with  the  heel  down  and  the  toe  up  and  turned  a  bit 
toward  the  horse's  side.  I  do  not  approve  of  a  very  long 
stirrup  for  a  woman  as  it  is  inclined  to  make  her  ride  too 
far  forward  in  her  saddle  and  upon  her  horse's  withers. 

If  these  important  things  are  remembered  and  practised, 
correct  position  will  be  insured  in  the  saddle,  the  rider  will  sit 
squarely  and  gracefully  on  her  horse,  the  proper  amount  of 
work  will  be  done  with  the  right  leg,  and  the  right  knee  will 
stay  firm  in  the  canter,  while  all  the  riding  will  not  be  done 
with  the  left  leg,  and  the  weight  will  not  be  thrown  on  the 
stirrup. 

HANDS. 

The  hands  should  be  held  in  line  with  the  waist,  neither 
above  nor  below,  the  elbows  in,  not  out,  and  the  wrists  must 
be  supple.  Both  hands  should  be  kept  in  position  and  neither 
of  the  arms  should  ever  be  allowed  to  hang  straight  at  one's 
side. 

Light  hands  are  a  great  gift,  and  if  not  possessed  every 
care  should  be  taken  to  cultivate  them.  But  with  their  light- 
ness should  be  combined  firmness  and  a  quick  sympathy  with 
the  horse's  mouth.  In  many  cases  it  is  the  pulling  rider, 
not  the  pulling  horse.  It  is  the  delicate  firmness  that  the 


566 


ACCIDENTS. 


hand  has  on  the  piano  that  counts,  not  the  bang,  and  so  it  is 
in  managing  a  horse.  A  horse  seems  to  know  when  a  rider 
is  nervous  and  rarely  fails  to  take  advantage  of  it ;  that  is  the 
reason  that  a  horse  that  acts  like  a  brute  with  one  person  will 
go  like  a  lamb  for  another. 


THE    HANDS. 


ACCIDENTS. 

Some  of  the  most  serious  accidents  that  have  happened  to 
women  riding  have  been  caused  by  their  being  thrown  off  to 
the  right  of  their  horse  and  hanging  by  skirt  or  stirrup. 

If  a  horse  shies  to  the  right  one  should  immediately  throw 
one's  weight  over  to  the  left,  this  brings  the  legs  into  posi- 
tion on  the  pommels  and  gets  one  again  in  balance,  whereas  if 


DRESS.  567 

one  allows  or  throws  the  weight  to  the  right,  the  legs  lose 
their  grip,  and  the  body  is  thrown  off  to  the  right,  usually 
hanging  by  skirt  or  stirrup,  unless  these  are  (as  they  always 
should  be)  safety. 

Another  important  rule  to  bear  in  mind  is  never,  under 
any  circumstances,  let  go  of  the  reins.  Control  of  the  horse 
once  lost  the  rider  is  completely  at  his  mercy.  If  a  horse 
turns  with  you  suddenly,  instead  of  pulling  him  in  the 
opposite  direction  from  which  he  has  turned,  pull  him  around 
the  same  way  until  you  have  brought  his  head  in  the  original 
direction  you  wished  him  to  go.  Horses  are  very  much  like 
children;  they  need  to  be  managed,  not  bullied,  in  other 
words,  to  quote  one  of  our  greatest  exponents  of  the  Boucher 
method :  u  It  is  the  strength  of  effect,  not  the  effect  of 
strength." 

DRESS. 

Much  has  been  said  and  written  in  regard  to  correct  dress 
for  the  saddle,  and  yet  how  many  women  know  and  practise 
its  two  most  important  laws :  first,  to  dress  plainly  and  com- 
fortably, and  second,  that  the  dress  should  be  appropriate  ? 

There  are  very  few  tailors  in  this  country  who  understand 
the  making  of  a  really  good  habit,  but  there  are  three  or  four 
in  New  York  whose  work  in  this  line  is  quite  as  good  as  any 
I  have  seen  from  abroad. 

The  habit  must  be  well  made,  well  fitted,  of  correct  style 
and  of  the  best  material.  Safety  skirts  should  always  be 
worn,  these  are  made  in  two  different  ways,  one  is  practically 
nothing  but  an  apron,  but  gives  the  effect  of  a  skirt  in  the 
saddle ;  there  is  no  back  to  it  and  the  legs  are  perfectly  free 
and  in  direct  contact  with  the  saddle.  This  is  a  very  good  and 


568 

safe  pattern  for  hunting  and  country  use,  but  is  awkward  when 
dismounted.  The  other  is  more  like  the  ordinary  habit  skirt, 
but  with  an  open  seam  back  of  the  legs  and  up  around  the 
pommels  ;  this  is  provided  with  patent  fasteners  permitting 
it  to  be  closed  when  off  the  horse,  and  readily  opened  prepar- 
atory to  mounting. 

The  regulation  habit-coat  is  tight  fitting,  single-breasted, 
with  five  or  six  buttons,  and  made  long  enough  to  touch  the 
horse  in  back.  This  is  the  most  sensible  style  to  order  when 
one  confines  one's  self  to  one  habit  Covert  coats  should  be 
made  big,  and  are  very  smart  for  outdoor  riding.  Norfolk 
jackets  look  well  on  slight  people  and  children,  and  are  most 
comfortable  for  country  use. 

The  heavier  cloth  you  select  for  your  habit  the  better  it 
will  fit  and  wear,  and  the  longer  keep  its  shape.  Whip  cords 
and  roughish  dark  materials  are  preferable.  Black  cloth 
habits  are  best  for  the  show  ring  and  park  riding.  Khaki, 
duck,  or  crash  habits  are  desirable  for  summer;  they  stand 
tubbing  and  are  very  smart  and  cool.  The  coats  of  these 
can  be  made  either  tight  or  loose  fitting,  as  the  wearer  may 
desire. 

A  black  derby  is  the  correct  hat  for  winter  use.  A  plain 
straw  sailor  for  summer,  and  of  late  sombreros  and  plain  felt 
continental  hats  have  become  quite  popular.  The  hat  should 
be  large  enough  to  set  well  down  on  the  head,  and  be  kept  in 
place  by  a  broad  elastic.  Hat  pins  should  never  be  worn,  they 
look  badly  and  are  dangerous  in  case  of  accident. 

The  hair  should  be  worn  plainly,  either  braided  and  tied 
with  a  ribbon,  or  coiled  securely  at  the  neck. 

Riding  boots,  for  comfort's  sake  worn  a  size  larger  than 
one's  every-day  shoes,  should  be  of  calf-skin  or  patent-leather; 


DRESS.  569 

to  my  mind  the  stiff  or  polo  legged  boot  is  best  and  smartest. 
With  summer  habits  tan  boots  should  be  worn,  or  tan  puttee 
leggings ;  the  boots,  though,  are  always  more  comfortable  than 
the  leggings.  Select  your  boots  from  a  somewhat  "  man- 
nish "  last,  the  very  pointed  toe  and  high  narrow  heel  are  no 
longer  in  vogue. 

Gloves  should  be  heavy,  hand  sewn,  with  one  or  two 
clasps,  and  always  worn  a  size  or  two  larger  than  the  size 
one  ordinarily  wears. 

The  underclothes  for  riding  should  be  as  carefully  con- 
sidered as  the  outer  garments.  The  corset,  or  corset 
waist,  should  be  loose  enough  for  absolute  comfort  and 
freedom.  Balbriggan  drawers,  such  as  boys  wear,  and 
socks  are  best.  Stockings  should  not  be  used  as  they  often 
wrinkle  up  and  chafe,  and  elastics  sometimes  interfere  with 
the  circulation. 

Over  the  balbriggan  drawers  can  be  worn  either  eques- 
trian tights  reaching  to  the  ankle,  or  breeches.  The  breeches 
are  made  on  the  style  of  a  man's  riding  breeches  and  of 
similar  material ;  but  care  should  be  taken  that  the  buttons 
on  the  cuffs  are  on  the  inside  of  the  right  leg  and  the  outside 
of  the  left  leg.  After  the  tights  or  breeches  draw  on  the 
boots. 

Beneath  the  habit-coat  should  be  worn  some  kind  of 
shirtwaist,  and  for  neckwear  I  recommend  an  ascot  stock, 
fastened  with  an  appropriate  pin.  The  linen  collar  and 
necktie  also  look  well,  but  lack  the  comfort  and  smartness 
of  the  stock.  With  the  pinning  of  the  stock  one's  under 
dressing  is  complete,  and  one  is  ready  to  don  one's  habit. 

A  light  polo  whip,  rattan  or  bamboo  stick,  is  correct. 
All  jewelry  should  be  avoided.  The  jewelled  whip  passed 


570  DRIVING. 

away  with   the  silk  hat,  the  gauntlet   glove,  and  the   shot- 
weighted  riding  habit. 

A  riding  outfit  complete,  with  the  exception  of  the 
horse,  can  be  bought  for  the  cost  of  my  lady's  ball  gown. 
The  prices  I  quote  are  those  asked  by  the  leading  people  in 
their  respective  lines. 

Habit $85.00  to  $100.00 

Breeches 1500  "  15.00 

Equestrian  tights 1.50  •''  2.00 

Boots 10.00  "  15.00 

Hat        " ....  .     .    -.     .     .  5.00  "  5.00 

Gloves .«-•.•"••      1.50  "  1.50 

One-half  dozen  stocks        T  . .  3.00  "  3.00 

Underwear  —  socks,  etc 5.00  "  5.00 

Saddle        .....     ;    .     .     .......     .     .  100.00  "  125.00 

Bridle         .     .     ....  '.  ;.     .    .    ,    .     .     .     .     .     .  10.00  "  15.00 

Total $236.00  "   $286.50 


DRIVING. 

Women  should  drive  in  practically  the  same  manner  and 
form  as  men.  Reference  to  chapter  will  give  in  detail  the 
correct  method.  Still,  a  few  extra  hints  may  be  of  use. 

To  begin  with,  women  must  be  careful  not  to  become 
exaggerated  or  pronounced  in  their  style.  While  they  drive 
in  the  same  form,  as  men,  still,  they  must  remember  they 
are  not  men,  nor  need  they  obliterate  all  touch  of  the 
feminine  from  their  appearance.  Nothing  to  my  mind  can 
look  worse  than  to  see  a  woman  affecting  the  mannerisms 
of  a  groom,  perched  on  the  edge  of  her  seat,  and  even 
saluting  her  friends  with  her  whip,  as  I  have  seen  some 
women  do. 


DRIVING.  571 

I  prefer  the  square,  almost  level  driving  cushion  to  the 
very  slanting  one ;  it  is  more  comfortable,  and  gives  a 
woman  a  better  appearance.  One  should  not  sit  on  the 
edge  of  the  seat,  nor  loll  against  the  back  of  it ;  but  sit  on 
it  easily  and  comfortably,  holding  one's  self  erect  and  yet 
avoiding  an  appearance  of  stiffness.  The  legs  should  be 
well  under  one,  not  braced  out  in  front. 

The  proper  carriage  for  a  lady  to  drive  herself,  for  park 
work  or  the  show  ring,  is  either  a  George  IV.  or  Peter's 
phaeton  ;  and  for  morning  or  knockabout  the  basket  phaeton 
or  morning  carriage  as  it  is  sometimes  called.  Of  course 
there  are  many  kinds  of  small,  low  carts,  buckboards,  and 
runabouts  that  are  very  handy,  but  the  ones  I  speak  of 
are  the  most  correct. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 
RIDING   FOR   MEN. 

BY  T.  C.  P.  OF  TORONTO. 
CHOICE    OF   A    SADDLE    HORSE. 

YOUR  weight  must  more  or  less  govern  your  choice  of  a 
horse  to  ride.  But  a  fourteen-hands  cob,  if  made  right,  and 
standing  square  on  his  legs,  can  carry  a  heavy  man  satis- 
factorily. It  is  a  question  of  build  rather  than  height,  but 
a  tall  man  looks  best  on  a  tall  horse.  A  horse  15.3,  if 
properly  put  together,  is  the  best  for  general  use.  And 
now,  when  you  have  sufficiently  indulged  your  own  judg- 
ment, get  a  veterinary  surgeon  to  examine  him  before  you 
buy. 

As  to  age,  a  horse  may  be  broken  and  ridden  gently 
when  he  is  three,  a  little  harder  when  he  is  four,  and  with 
some  freedom  at  five;  but  he  must  be  six  before  you  do 
really  hard  work  with  him.  An  immature  animal  will  soon 
show  signs  of  the  machine  having  been  too  severely  taxed. 
Therefore  buy  a  six-year  old  when  you  can.  He  is  over  so 
many  troubles  that  beset  the  earlier  years  of  his  life,  and  is 
at  his  best,  if  he  has  been  judiciously  used. 

The  horse  must  be  sound  as  a  matter  of  course,  but  on 
that  inexhaustible  subject  it  is  unnecessary  here  to  speak 
at  any  length.  Avoid  delicate  horses.  Look  out  for  the 
ordinary  self-evident  blemishes,  as  splints  near  the  knee  or 
near  the  tendons,  spavins,  blindness,  ringbones,  sidebones, 

672 


MR.  H.  L.  BUSSIGNY'S  "PIERROT,"  WINNER  OF  THE  CHAMPIONSHIP,  1901, 


BRIDLE,  SADDLE,   ETC.  573 

sand-cracks,  etc.  If  he  has  interfered  he  is  likely  to  do  so 
again.  If  he  shies  persistently  don't  have  him.  If  he  lugs 
or  bores  down  on  the  reins  you  won't  enjoy  him.  If  he 
kicks,  other  people  will  avoid  you.  A  curb  on  the  hind  leg 
is  unsightly  and  spoils  his  value,  but  is  seldom  a  real  detri- 
ment. Straight  pasterns  will  jar  you  at  every  step.  If  he 
turns  out  a  fore-foot  or  winds  it  in  the  delivery,  his  value  is 
greatly  affected.  Avoid  either  a  cow-hocked  one,  or  one 
who  goes  with  his  hind  legs  straddled.  Take  care  he  has 
not  a  hip  down.  Look  out  for  marks  of  speedy  cut  inside 
the  cannon-bones,  which  should  be  short,  for  this  also 
insures  his  hocks  being  well  let  down.  Back  him,  in  search 
of  stringhalt,  or  turn  him  short.  An  incorrigible  stumbler 
is,  of  course,  a  horse  to  be  avoided,  as  is  one  that  forges, 
cribs,  balks,  interferes,  rears  habitually,  or  displays  inveterate 
vice.  Improvement  may  be  made  in  animals  so  afflicted, 
but  they  are  not  to  be  depended  upon,  and  when  riding  is 
for  pleasure  it  is  better  to  let  them  go  to  the  auction 
yard. 

BRIDLE,    SADDLE,    ETC. 

As  to  the  bridle,  the  best  to  learn  with  is  a  plain  snaffle 
with  a  single  rein.  The  next  step  is  to  attach  two  reins  to 
it.  The  plain  snaffle  is  preferable  to  either  a  twisted  or  a 
double  ringed  one,  because  the  'novice  cannot  hurt  the 
horse's  mouth  with  it  before  he  has  learned  the  great  lesson, 
that  under  no  circumstances  must  he  ever  depend  on  the 
reins  for  the  retention  or  recovery  of  his  seat.  It  is  the  one 
great  cardinal  rule,  of  which  hereafter.  Later  on,  a  bit  and 
bridoon,  double  bridle,  is  the  best.  A  Pelham  is  frequently 
used,  but  should  only  be  in  Very  good  hands. 


574  BRIDLE,    SADDLE,    ETC. 

The  bits  should  be  so  adjusted  as  scarcely  to  wrinkle 
the  angle  of  the  lips.  They  are  generally  too  high  in  the 
mouth.  You  will  keep  his  mouth  sensitive,  and  his  speed 
and  ambition  subject  to  your  easy  control,  by  never  sub- 
jecting his  mouth  to  unnecessary  pressure  and  pull.  The 
best  mouth  in  the  world  can  be  hardened  and  spoiled  by 
an  ignorant,  clumsy  rider. 

The  throat  latch  should  never  be  tight.  The  curb  chain 
should  never  pinch. 

A  breast-plate  is  regarded  by  some  people  as  setting 
off  a  horse;  and  there  are  horses  so  shaped  as  to  require 
one.  You  might  say  the  same  of  a  crupper !  But  as  a 
general  thing  don't  use  one  more  than  the  other  unless  you 
have  found  it  to  be  required.  The  breaker  may  want  a 
martingale,  but  should  turn  out  his  horse  so  that  you  do 
not.  The  Dutch  martingale,  consisting  of  two  rings,  joined 
by  a  strip  of  leather,  and  through  which  the  reins  pass,  helps 
the  control  of  a  flighty,  stargazing  horse,  and  to  keep  his 
head  where  you  want  it ;  but  a  good  mount  needs  no  martin- 
gale. Spurs  may  be  dispensed  with  till  the  rider  knows  his 
business  thoroughly.  In  some  emergencies  they  are  more 
useful  than  any  other  stimulus,  but  are  generally  superfluous, 
if  your  hack  is  a  good  one. 

Never  ride  in  a  saddle  too  big  for  you.  Nothing  looks 
worse  than  a  man  who  is  all  over  the  saddle,  or  who  sits 
back  on  it  as  if  in  a  chair.  The  English  saddle  should  not 
be  high,  turned  up,  either  at  the  pommel  or  the  cantle,  but 
as  flat  as  is  consistent  with  safety  to  the  horse's  back.  The 
roll  in  front  of  your  knees  should  be  very  small  or  dispensed 
with  altogether.  The  stuffing  of  the  saddle  must  be  occa- 
sionally looked  to,  and  worked  over  if  lumpy  or  hard  ;  for  a 


MOUNTING.  575 

sore  back  or  a  sit-fast  is  perhaps  a  very  long  job,  and  may 
throw  a  horse  out  of  work  for  months,  whether  the  trouble 
be  on  the  withers  or  loin. 

The  stirrups  must  not  be  wide  enough  to  let  your  instep 
through  or  so  narrow  as  to  jam  the  foot.  In  either  case 
a  fall  may  mean  being  dragged  and  killed. 

As  to  girth,  the  best,  except  in  very  hot  weather  when 
split-leather  is  useful,  is  the  Fitzwilliam.  It  sits  best  and  is 
kept  more  conveniently  and  more  readily  adjusted  than 
separate  girths.  Very  tight  girthing  is  objectionable,  and 
when  you  have  learned  to  ride  by  grip  and  balance  combined 
it  is  wonderful  how  safely  you  can  ride  in  a  saddle  quite 
loosely  put  on.  But  either  extreme  is  wrong. 

MOUNTING. 

Accustom  your  horse  to  stand  still  when  you  mount,  and 
not  to  move  till  you  allow  him.  This  is  very  useful  when 
you  dismount  for  any  reason  out  of  doors.  Pat  and  make 
much  of  him  when  he  pleases  you  or  obeys  a  lesson.  There 
is  no  animal  so  susceptible  of  flattery  and  approbation.  You 
can  make  him  your  friend  by  little  presents  of  apple,  carrot, 
biscuit,  or  sugar,  when  you  visit  his  box.  It  all  helps. 

If  your  horse's  back,  withers,  and  ribs  be  not  so  shaped  as 
to  carry  a  saddle  naturally,  get  on  from  a  mount,  a  stone,  a 
chair,  or  the  like.  This  is  better  than  pulling  your  saddle 
over  and  out  of  place.  If  you  have  a  groom  holding  your 
horse,  it  is  better  for  him  to  stand  in  front  of  the  horse  than 
be  pulling  down  your  off  stirrup  as  a  set-off  to  your  weight 
mounting  on  the  near  side.  Get  up  with  your  back  slightly 
turned  to  the  horse's  head,  and  be  careful  not  to  stick  your 
toe  into  his  ribs. 


576  SEAT. 

The  length  of  stirrup,  in  the  case  of  a  young  man  for 
road  riding,  should  be  just  enough  for  him  to  "post  "  at  ease 
in  the  trot  with  the  ball  of  his  foot  pressing  the  flat  of  the 
iron.  There  is,  however,  no  actual  objection  to  riding  with 
the  feet  "home."  This  should  carry  his  fork  over  the 
pommel,  when  he  stands  in  the  stirrups,  as  he  may  choose 
to  do.  Older  men  ride  in  a  shorter  stirrup,  such  as  most 
men  use  all  their  lives  for  hunting  and  cross  country  work. 
Measure  and  remember  your  exact  length  of  stirrup  on  your 
arm  with  the  iron  in  your  armpit,  and  have  it  right  before 
you  get  up.  At  the  same  time  remember  the  particular 
horse's  shape  may  call  for  longer  or  shorter  leathers  than 
those  which  your  own  horse  demands  ;  and  therefore  learn 
to  take  them  up  or  let  them  down  from  your  seat  in  the 
saddle. 

SEAT. 

Good  hands  and  good  seat  are  inseparable.  You  are  not 
likely  to  have  one  without  the  other.  You  must  not  use 
the  reins  to  keep  your  seat;  your  seat  must  be  independent 
of  the  reins,  but  you  must  be  sitting  right  to  use  the  reins 
right.  Seated  on  your  crotch,  down  in  the  saddle,  your 
knees  turned  in  as  much  as  is  possible  and  held  immovable 
at  the  grip,  the  leg  below  the  knee  should  hang  straight 
down  loose,  except  for  the  tension  required  to  keep  the  toe 
up  and  the  heel  down,  and  the  foot  straight  with  the  line 
of  direction.  There  should  be  no  movement  except  from 
above  the  hips,  where  the  small  of  the  back  should  be  a 
pivot,  and  every  movement  in  unison  with  that  of  your 
horse,  sitting  naturally,  neither  in  a  slovenly  attitude  nor  as 
stiff  as  a  ramrod.  There  should  be  a  slight  inclination  of 


HANDS.  577 

the  head  and  shoulders  forward.  Never  rise  higher  than 
you  need  to  in  the  trot,  and  the  better  time  you  keep  the 
better  for  both  horse  and  rider. 

It  is  not  possible  for  some  men,  born  with  a  pelvis  that 
does  not  accommodate  itself  to  the  seat  I  have  sketched,  to 
be  pretty  riders,  but  they  acquire  firm  seats  of  a  kind,  and 
learn  to  balance  themselves.  These  may  and  do  cling  to 
the  saddle  with  the  calf  of  the  leg,  but  it  is  absolutely  wrong, 
where  avoidable,  as  it  is  by  men  with  flat  or  hollow  thighs. 
Such  men  should  ride  without  spurs.  The  steadier  a  man 
is  in  the  saddle,  and  the  more  he  accommodates  himself  to 
the  movements  of  his  horse,  and  becomes,  in  fact,  a  balanced 
part  of  him,  the  less  likely  he  is  to  give  him  a  saddle  sore 
either  fore  or  aft.  There  is  not  the  slightest  need  for 
either.  Yet  look  at  the  number  of  horses  with  white  patches 
on  their  backs ;  saddle  galls  they  are  called ;  they  are  really 
evidences  of  bad  horsemanship. 

HANDS. 

The  bridle  is  the  means  of  communication  between  the 
horse  and  rider,  and  the  voice  is  more  effective  than  whip 
or  spur. 

The  snafHe  and  curb  reins  should  not  be  held  at  the 
same  length,  and  therefore  tension,  unless  a  horse  is  mis- 
behaving. A  good  rider  will  use  the  curb  to  "  make  "  a 
horse,  but  after  that  process  is  over  will  very  seldom  find 
necessity  for  it.  The  snaffle  rein  should  be  divided  by  the 
third  finger  of  left  hand,  and  the  curb  rein  should  be  between 
the  first  and  second  fingers,  and  outside  the  little  finger. 
Then  turn  over  the  fist  with  thumb  on  top ;  loosen  the  curb 
rein  an  inch  or  two;  then  grasp  the  bunch  with  clenched 


578  ON  THE  ROAD. 

fist,  and  keep  them  as  they  arc,  re-inforcing  the  left  by 
placing  the  right  hand  down  in  loop  of  the  snaffle  as  oc- 
casion requires.  Give  and  take  with  each  step  of  the  horse. 
Hold  your  reins  very  tight  in  your  fist,  but  so  move  your 
fist  that  you  only  feel  the  horse's  mouth.  You  will  always 
save  your  horse  in  case  of  stumble,  if  he  cannot  pull  the 
reins  through  your  fingers.  It  is  immaterial  in  which  hand 
you  hold  the  reins,  and  you  should  practise  with  both.  The 
reins  should  be  held  with  the  hands  low,  very  little  in  front 
of,  and  close  to,  your  body,  with  the  knuckles  out  and  the 
wrists  bent  slightly  in.  This,  you  will  find,  gives  room  for 
all  necessary  play.  The  elbows  must  be  carried  against  the 
sides  of  the  body. 

All  communications  to  the  horse  should  be  made  by  the 
wrist.  Insensibly  you  will  find  yourself  so  talking  by  tele- 
graph, to  him  all  the  time  you  are  on  his  back.  Nobody 
with  a  cast  iron  wrist  can  have  good  hands.  Pliable,  sensi- 
tive fingers,  a  supple  wrist,  and  delicate  touch  are  essential. 

ON    THE    ROAD. 

When  out  riding  keep  your  eyes  to  the  front.  Watch 
for  objects  likely  to  alarm  your  horse.  Sudden  springs  to 
the  side  are  inevitable  incidents  in  road  riding,  but  the  man 
who  has  his  grip  at  the  knee,  and  his  balance  from  the  loins, 
ready  for  instant  change,  is  not  moved,  especially  if  on  the 
look-out.  A  highly  nervous  horse  cannot  stand  the  noise  of 
an  empty  coal-cart  coming  behind  him  at  a  trot,  and  an 
automobile  will  equally  disconcert  him.  He  must  be  kept 
in  hand  on  these  occasions,  and  made  to  face  the  music 
kindly  but  firmly.  You  should  also  see,  and  by  turn  of  the 
wrist  avoid,  stones,  roots,  holes,  hummocks,  and  things  which 


ON  THE   ROAD.  579 

a  horse  may  stumble  over.  Most  horses  are  so  busy  watch- 
ing objects  in  the  landscape  (especially  in  strange  places) 
with  the  view  of  noting  and  remembering  what  will  assist 
them  in  finding  their  way  back,  that  they  fail  to  always 
watch  their  path.  But  the  rider  should  never  omit  to  do  so. 
He  should  always  be  the  one  to  place  the  horse  to  a  nicety, 
exactly  where  he  wants  him  to  tread. 

Going  over  bad,  uneven  ground  collect  your  horse,  see 
that  his  legs  are  well  under  him,  and  then  interfere  with  his 
head  as  little  as  you  can.  He  will  want  it  loose  for  bal- 
ancing himself.  At  the  same  time  have  all  the  reins  so 
firm  in  the  fist,  thumb  on  top,  that  if  he  blunders  you  can 
help  him.  A  sure-footed  horse,  who  can  see  where  he  is 
stepping  in  addition  to  watching  the  country,  and  looking 
for  objects  of  alarm,  is  a  treasure.  Some  never  place  a  foot 
wrong,  others  never  miss  an  opportunity  of  doing  so.  You 
can  rouse  a  horse  to  lift  his  knees  and  avoid  inequalities 
of  surface  and  stumbling-blocks  of  all  kinds ;  but  you  are 
earning  your  passage,  and  your  ride  is  not  enjoyable.  If  a 
horse  will  lob  along  the  side  of  a  road  taking  all  the  inequali- 
ties as  they  come,  shortening  or  lengthening  his  step  to 
meet  requirements,  never  get  rid  of  him. 

It  is  not  important  to  a  man  with  which  foot  a  horse 
leads.  A  lady's  horse  must  lead  with  the  off  foot.  To  effect 
this,  draw  his  head  a  little  to  the  near  side,  touching 
him  with  the  whip  on  that  side,  and  vice  versa.  A  horse 
should  never  be  turned,  without  first  moving  him  a  step 
forward. 

A  good  saddle  horse  goes  up  to  the  bit  without  pulling 
a  pound  on  your  hands,  free  but  not  troublesome.  His  trot 
must  be  square.  If  you  find  his  action  becoming  mixed  - 


580  ON  THE   ROAD. 

disunited  —  stop  him.  Riding  in  company  is  best  deferred 
till  you  have  taught  your  horse  to  go  straight  and  well  by 
himself.  An  experienced  man  once  told  me  that  it  took 
two  years  to  make  a  good  hack.  Perseverando  must  be  the 
rider's  motto ;  and  don't  sicken  and  confuse  the  horse  in  an 
attempt  to  teach  too  much  at  any  one  time. 

A  saddle  horse  should  be  told  and  forced  to  walk  when 
that  pace  is  desired,  and  not  allowed  to  jog.  A  single  word 
is  the  best  method  of  instruction.  "  Over,"  "  Back,"  "  Whoa," 
"  Walk,"  are  indispensable.  Diminutives  of  "  Whoa "  are 
applicable  to  a  soothing  or  pacifying  policy :  "  Who-oo-boy," 
and  the  like;  but  a  decided  "  Whoa  "  should  cause  a  horse 
to  stop,  not  only  to  reduce  his  speed,  but  to  stop  dead. 
Many  a  life  has  been  saved  by  a  horse  having  been  so 
taught. 

Accustom  your  horse  to  the  frequent  change  of  the  whip, 
from  one  hand  to  the  other,  and  to  the  laying  it  on  him 
gently,  and  in  a  friendly  way  "  all  over."  It  will  be  useful 
in  fly-time.  You  should  always  gently  signal  him  before 
turning  a  corner,  so  that  his  mind  is  prepared  and  his  body 
balanced  for  the  move. 

In  turning  a  horse  use  pressure  of  your  leg  behind  the 
girth.  This  twists  his  head  the  right  way.  Nothing  looks 
much  worse  than  a  man  pulling  round  his  horse's  body  by 
the  rein.  Bridle-wise  horses  are  not  of  any  use  to  people 
who  have  both  hands  at  liberty.  When  you  have  the  reins 
fast  in  your  left-fist,  as  I  have  described,  and  you  want  your 
horse  to  go  to  the  right,  move  your  fist  to  the  left,  and  vice 
versa.  You  thereby  shorten  the  rein  on  the  side  you  wish 
to  go,  which  presses  the  snaffle-ring  on  opposite  side,  and 
tells  the  horse  the  direction  you  wish  him  to  take.  There 


ON  THE  ROAD.  581 

is  no  need  to  help  with  the  right  hand.  The  natural  incli- 
nation is  precisely  the  opposite  of  this. 

Very  little  strength  is  required  for  the  right  management 
of  a  broken  horse.  A  weak  young  girl  can  manage  nearly 
any  horse  that  has  not  been  already  spoiled  by  brutality. 
The  minimum  of  force,  and  the  maximum  of  art  are  required. 
In  the  minimum  of  resistance  the  maximum  of  art  may 
lie. 

The  secret  of  stopping  a  horse  is  beginning  soon  enough. 
You  can  nearly  always  feel  that  the  horse  is  preparing  for 
a  bolt.  He  rounds  his  back,  braces  himself,  straightens  the 
reins,  squirms,  or  gives  other  unmistakable  signs  of  his 
intentions.  Watch  his  ears.  You  must  begin  as  soon  as 
he  does.  If  he  once  succeeds  in  getting  out  of  your  hands 
no  man  on  earth  can  stop  him  till  he  chooses,  but  any  man 
can  stop  him  at  the  beginning.  Talk  to  him  then.  Later 
on  you  will  have  to  watch  for  a  chance  if  he  lifts  his  head  up, 
and  if  you  catch  that  right  he  may  choose  to  stop. 

When  you  expect  a  horse  to  swerve,  throw  your  body 
the  way  he  will  go.  There  is  a  natural  inclination  the  other 
way.  If  taken  quite  unawares  the  retention  of  your  seat  will 
depend  on  the  grip  at  the  knee,  and  on  your  power  to 
change  your  balance  instantaneously.  If  a  horse  is  given  to 
bucking,  he  will  do  it  at  the  start  before  you  are  warm  in 
the  saddle.  Sit  tight,  and  balance  yourself;  but  he  may  last 
longer  than  you  can.  It  is  quite  an  exhausting  process. 
I  have  seen  a  bad  rearer  treated  both  by  pulling  him  over, 
and  by  breaking  a  bottle  of  cold  water  between  his  ears. 
Both  plans  are  dangerous  to  the  horse.  As  a  general  thing, 
when  in  trouble  the  inexperienced  rider  is  apt  to  get  forward 
towards  his  horse's  neck.  He  had  better  lean  back,  for 


582  A   FEW  STABLE   HINTS. 

except  in  case  of  rearing  he  will  be  in  a  better  position  to 
meet  what  may  be  coming. 

If  you  have  to  face  a  fall,  double  your  head  under  your 
shoulders,  and  alight  on  the  back  of  your  shoulder  if  you 
can't  pitch  on  your  feet.  Hang  on  to  the  reins  unless  your 
horse  falls  too.  Then  keep  clear  of  him.  He  will  not  get 
up  as  quickly  as  you  can  if  you  are  not  hurt.  If  you  are 
hurt,  it  does  not  matter  where  he  goes.  There  is  a  great 
knack  in  falling.  I  may  say  that  I  have  been  riding  all 
sorts  of  horses  for  over  half  a  century,  and  have  had  number- 
less falls  under  all  sorts  of  conditions,  and  I  have  never  yet 
broken  a  limb.  Sprains,  bruises,  cuts,  and  wounds  must  be 
taken  as  they  come,  and  even  broken  collar  bone. 

Do  what  he  may,  never  lose  your  temper  with  him,  or 
mess  him  about  till  he  does  n't  know  what  you  want,  and 
you  don't  know  yourself.  His  faculties  become  benumbed. 
He  is  aware  that  his  rider  is  behaving  unreasonably,  and 
loses  confidence  in  him. 

There  are  a  thousand  other  things  to  know  and  to  do ; 
but  the  trouble  is,  that  when  a  man  knows  the  majority  of 
them,  he  is  drawing  very  near  the  end  of  his  riding  days. 
Nothing,  however,  is  so  likely  to  lengthen  his  days  as  per- 
sistence in  equestrian  exercise. 

A    FEW    STABLE    HINTS. 

If  during  your  ride  you  put  up  at  an  inn  where  there  are 
no  pillar-reins,  take  off  the  bridle  at  once,  for  the  horse  will 
not  lose  a  moment  in  rubbing  it  along  the  edge  of  the 
manger,  to  the  detriment  of  covered  buckles.  Slide  your 
stirrups  up  on  the  leathers,  slacken  the  girths,  and  jerk  the 
saddle  up  and  down  quickly  for  a  minute  or  two,  but  don't 


DRESS,   ETC.  583 

take  the  saddle  off.     Rack  him  up  short  enough  to  prevent 
rolling. 

If  your  horse  goes  lame,  he  will  show  you  which  foot  is 
concerned  by  dropping  his  head  and  ear  as  the  sound  foot 
touches  the  ground.  The  natural  tendency  is  to  think  the 
opposite.  You  will  often  be  told,  when  your  horse  shows 
symptoms  of  lameness  in  front,  that  it  is  in  the  shoulder ; 
that  is  to  say,  when  the  cause  is  not  obvious.  In  most  cases 
the  trouble  is  in  the  foot.  In  some  cases  it  is  from  a  very 
small,  incipient  splint.  Shoulder  lameness  is  possible  but 
extremely  improbable  where  no  known  accident  has  occurred 
to  cause  it.  The  seat  of  lameness  behind  is  seldom  in  the 
foot,  but  nearly  always  in  the  hock. 

If,  owing  to  fatigue,  bad  shoeing,  or  other  cause,  your 
horse  should  brush  a  fetlock,  don't  use  a  leather  boot  with 
a  strap  and  buckle,  but  tie  on  a  Yorkshire  boot  made  of  a 
strip  of  blanket  and  turned  down  over  the  tape. 

Never  expect  hard  work  of  your  horse  when  he  is  shed- 
ding his  coat.  He  is  as  much  out  of  sorts  as  a  moulting 
canary. 

Much  driving  spoils  a  saddle  horse,  but  not  an  occasional 
trip  in  the  shafts. 

Don't  let  your  horse's  legs  be  washed.  The  feet  may 
be,  but  not  the  legs.  Let  them  dry,  and  brush  off  the. 
dirt. 

DRESS,    ETC. 

Busy  men  often  say  that  the  time  taken  to  dress  for 
riding  is  an  obstacle  to  the  practice.  But  for  road-riding  a 
gentleman  cannot  be  too  inconspicuously  accoutred.  He  is 
not  out  as  a  sportsman,  but  merely  for  a  ride.  Remember 


584  DXESS,   ETC. 

too  that  the  horsiest  man  afoot  is  often  the  footiest  man 
ahorse,  and  don't  emulate  him.  The  use  of  a  wide  double- 
buckled  knee  wrap  of  soft  Russia  leather  enables  you  to  ride 
in  ordinary  trousers,  and  with  the  "  feel "  that  you  are  in 
leather  breeches.  They  are  put  on  in  two  minutes.  The 
old  fashioned  strap  under  the  instep  is  objectionable. 
Leggings,  long  gaiters  or  butcher  boots,  are  orthodox,  but 
your  get-up  cannot  be  too  distinctive  from  that  of  the  man 
going  fox  hunting.  It  may  be  deemed  "  horsey  "  to  insist 
on  proper  terms  in  speaking  of  the  horse,  but  all  trades 
have  their  apposite  phraseology.  Thus,  a  horse  has  a  near 
and  off  foot,  a  hind  and  fore  foot.  Right  and  left,  and  front, 
are  quite  inadmissible,  and  only  used  by  persons  who  speak 
of  "  the  dogs  barking  "  when  they  refer  to  hounds  giving 
tongue.  Similarly,  the  word  "  ankle  "  applied  to  the  horse  is 
out  of  place,  but  very  commonly  used  here  to  signify  the 
fetlock  joint. 


CHAPTER   XXIII. 
HUNTERS   AND    HUNTING. 

BY  HARRY   W.  SMITH. 

A  CLEAR,  cool  November  morning  after  a  day  or  two  of 
rain  ;  a  master  who  knows  how  to  be  stern  as  well  as  to  be 
courteous ;  a  pack  of  hounds  bubbling  over  with  enthusiasm, 
kept  back  here  and  there  by  the  whips,  over  anxious  to 
prove  not  only  that  they  can  show  individual  work  in  cover, 
but  that  they  can  pack  when  once  the  fox  breaks,  hang 
when  the  scent  is  bad,  and  not  over  run  when  it  is  lost,  ever 
watchful  to  turn  like  the  needle  to  the  magnet,  when  the 
honest  hound  gives  tongue  and  says  he  has  found  the  trail ; 
a  well-bred  hunter  dropping  his  chin,  yet  snatching  at  the 
bit  now  and  then,  perfectly  controllable,  but  longing  for  that 
first  scurry  when  the  master  cries  "gone  away,"  —  all  these 
go  to  make  up  a  combination  that  gentlemen  of  high  and 
low  degree  in  England  have  said  for  years  it  is  impossible 
to  beat.  » 

How  little  it  takes  to  ruin  the  picture,  and  surely  that 
which  interests  you  most,  and  which  you  can  make  right  or 
wrong,  is  the  horse,  which  you  choose  as  one  of  a  number 
to  carry  you  for  the  season. 

There  are  many  who  believe  that  it  is  wise  to  wait  until 
August  to  pick  up  a  mount  to  carry  them  in  the  fall,  but 
the  wise  one  will  tell  you  as  Hames,  the  Job  Master  of 
Leicester,  said,  "  A  good  hunter  has  the  hall-mark  of  sterling 
on  him  and  is  good  value  at  any  time." 

585 


586  HUNTERS  AND  HUNTING. 

Choose  one  with  clear  blue  eyes,  broad  between  the  fore- 
head, with  face  neither  dished  nor  carrying  a  Roman  nose, 
expressive  ears  laying  back  to  the  nudge  in  the  ribs,  and 
pricking  to  the  scurry  of  the  rabbit  in  the  brush  ;  a  neck  well 
cut  out  about  the  throttle,  and  long  enough  to  give  good 
length  of  rein,  slightly  arched  and  going  into  the  shoulders 
at  the  proper  angle  ;  oblique  shoulders  are  better  but  do 
not  insist  on  them ;  withers  that  put  the  saddle  back  over 
the  middle  of  the  horse,  and  keep  the  girths  away  from 
the  roll  of  the  fore  legs ;  a  middle  piece  deep  through 
the  heart,  running  back  with  well-sprung,  far-down  tback 
ribs,  the  distance  of  a  hand  between  the  last  rib  and  the 
point  of  hip  ;  hind  legs  so  placed  that  the  foot  in  passing 
gives  the  ankle  at  least  an  inch  or  two  leeway;  good  dis- 
tance from  point  of  hip  to  point  of  hock,  and  plenty  of 
second  thigh.  Add  to  this  a  tail  well  set  on,  a  mouth  that 
gives  and  takes  as  you  ask  it,  a  brain  that  instead  of  trying 
to  have  its  own  way  has  faith  in  you  and  tries  to  carry  out 
your  desires. 

This  is  a  perfect  hunter  and  seldom  in  a  lifetime  do  we 
find  him.  Buy  him  any  time  you  see  him,  if  you  can  afford 
to;  if  you  pick  him  up  in  the  spring  hack  him  on  the  road  ; 
find  out  if  he  is  well  bitted;  if  he  is,  half  the  battle  is  won  ; 
if  he  is  not,  try  this  bit  and  that  bit  until  you  find  the  right 
one.  As  an  English  writer  puts  it,  "  There  is  a  key  to  every 
horse's  mouth."  But  it  is  sometimes  hard  to  find,  and  until 
your  mount  drops  his  chin,  arches  his  neck,  crooks  his  back, 
gets  his  hind  legs  under  him,  he  is  not  in  a  position  to  be 
perfectly  controllable  at  all  times.  Work  quietly,  systemat- 
ically and  pleasantly  to  achieve  this  one  result ;  try  simple 
bits  and  if  all  fail  go  to  the  high  port,  but  be  sure  then  that 


HUNTERS  AND  HUNTING.  587 

your  hands  can  touch  the  curb  rein  as  softly  as  "  My  Lady  " 
does  the  keys. 

Teach  him  to  drop  his  neck  to  the  curb  rein  like  a  polo 
pony,  and  without  any  warning  be  able  to  turn,  take  a  stride, 
and  jump  either  over  the  wall  at  the  right  or  the  left;  dis- 
mount, walk  up  to  the  bar  way,  take  down  the  two  top  bars 
leaving  them  about  two  feet,  six  inches,  step  over  yourself,  and 
lead  him  up  until  his  knees  rattle  the  top  rail ;  then  pat  him, 
stand  him  back  a  foot  or  two,  and  teach  him  to  follow  you 
over;  it  will  not  be  long  before  you  can  ride  him  up  in  front 
of  a  four-foot  jump,  speak  to  him,  and  he  will  stand  back, 
steady  himself  on  his  hocks,  and  pop  over;  by  the  way,  look 
out  that  he  does  not  pop  you  off ! 

Another  day  put  on  a  plain  snaffle  with  a  big  ring,  a 
good  hemp  rope  knotted  around  the  neck,  get  in  quietly 
behind  an  easy  starting  and  smooth  going  cob,  lead  your 
hunter  here  and  there,  brush  him  up  against  the  wheel  so 
that  he  knows  its  danger,  and  stop  him  once  or  twice  so  that 
he  will  know  what  will  happen  if  an  accident  should  occur. 
Then  another  day  teach  him  to  lead  beside  another  horse,  as 
there  is  nothing  so  undesirable  as  a  mount  that  has  to  be 
ridden  or  led  in  some  special  way  to  the  meet. 

Do  not  think  because  the  new  saddle  you  buy  stands  up 
over  the  withers  for  the  width  of  your  hand,  that  it  is  over- 
stuffed ;  three  or  four  months'  riding  will  bring  it  down  so 
that  by  fall  you  can  put  two  fingers  under  nicely;  the  better 
the  withers  are  the  harder  it  will  be  to  fit  the  saddle  ;  re- 
member the  saddle  can  never  be  fitted  by  putting  something 
on  the  withers  to  protect  them ;  the  padding  needs  to  be  put 
along  where  the  rib  arch  joins  the  backbone. 

Ride  with  a  plain  flap  if  you  can,  and  see  that  the  lining 


588  HUNTERS  AND  HUNTING. 

on  your  saddle  is  kept  clean  and  pliable ;  a  small  stone  in 
your  shoe  is  about  as  pleasant  as  a  hard  dry  spot  in  the 
lining  of  the  saddle  on  the  back  of  a  thoroughbred. 

If  you  get  him  from  Canada  or  Virginia  do  not  put  him 
in  your  stable  and  wonder  that  he  is  sick ;  rather  put  him  in 
an  open  box,  somewhere,  where  he  can  get  God's  fresh  air 
and  plenty  of  it,  and  accustom  him  slowly  to  the  fact  that 
he  has  got  to  breathe  bad  air  two-thirds  of  the  time,  as  most 
swell  stables  have  bad  air.  Watch  him  eat,  have  his  teeth 
looked  over,  both  for  the  sake  of  his  mastication  and  his 
bitting ;  see  that  he  is  watered  before  his  meals,  and  find 
out  how  often  in  a  week  he  can  stand  a  mash  ;  the  oftener 
the  better  if  he  can  stand  the  work  until  the  hunting  season 
commences. 

Have  some  one  lead  him,  trot  him  away  from  you  and 
then  back  towards  you  ;  remember  that  possibly  it  is  a  little 
necessary  for  you  to  know  how  many  ounces  of  iron  you 
are  tacking  on  that  foot ;  you  would  not  care  to  waltz 
with  a  brogan  on,  neither  attempt  to  go  shooting  with 
a  patent-leather  slipper.  Treat  him  with  every  mark  of 
respect  as  becomes  a  gentleman,  and  if  he  is  sound  and 
right  you  certainly  will  be  prouder  of  him  than  any  acquaint- 
ance you  have. 

If  he  is  a  heavy-weight  and  you  want  to  put  him  in 
wheel  of  four,  by  all  means  put  him  in.  It  did  not  hurt  old 
"  Justin  Morgan  "  to  out-pull  all  competitors  at  the  country 
fairs  in  Vermont,  and  then  out-trot  them  all  over  the  half- 
mile  tracks.  The  more  you  use  him  the  more  you  know 
him  and  the  more  he  knows  you.  The  Arab  Sheik  and 
his  Bird  of  the  Desert  are  the  sweetest  combination  of  man 
and  horse ;  be  as  near  like  to  them  as  you  can. 


HUNTERS  AND  HUNTING.  589 

Some  are  sturdy,  some  are  delicate,  some  need  lots  of 
work,  and  others  do  better  just  to  be  tightened  up  now  and 
then  to  be  kept  in  tune ;  no  hard  and  fast  rules  can  be  laid, 
study  the  horse  as  you  would  a  problem,  and  success  will  be 
the  result. 

When  you  once  have  him  so  that  he  relies  on  you, 
complies  to  your  bidding,  do  not  go  across  a  field  and  think 
you  will  take  that  panel,  then  change  your  mind  and  start 
for  another,  and  make  him  feel  that  you  do  not  know  where 
you  are  at ;  it  is  better  to  take  a  panel  in  a  fairly  bad  place 
than  have  him  think  that  your  mind  is  unsettled.  He  loves 
to  feel  the  leg  and  the  long  stirrup  leather  press  against 
his  side,  the  heel  well  back,  the  knee  in  the  right  place,  and 
consequently  the  weight  in  the  middle  of  his  back,  the  hands 
low  on  the  withers  holding  the  snafHe  firmly,  with  the  finger 
just  touching  the  curb  to  let  him  know  what  might  happen 
if  he  did  not  behave,  but  more  than  all  he  likes  to  feel 
that  irrepressible  enthusiasm  and  strong  "  I  will,"  not  that 
"  Perhaps  I  can,"  or  "  Perhaps  I  had  better  pull  up  and  see 
how  so  and  so  does  it."  He  has  just  as  much  pride  in  being 
first  over  as  he  has  in  knowing  that  nothing  can  daunt 
him. 

Just  take  a  refuser  that  has  been  spoiled  by  bad  hands 
or  a  faint  heart,  put  the  right  man  on  him  and  notice  the 
transformation ;  every  bad  quality  disappears  like  night 
before  the  sun,  his  heart  expands,  his  brain  expands,  he 
stands  firm  on  his  legs,  his  nostrils  grow  larger,  and  he 
looks  at  other  horses  as  much  as  to  say,  "  Now  I  am  with 
you,  this  is  the  first  time  I  have  ever  had  a  chance."  He 
may  refuse  at  awkward  places,  but  with  a  few  days'  confidence, 
the  combination  of  two  bold  hearts  is  bound  to  succeed. 


590  HUNTERS  AND   HUNTING. 

Oh,  the  pity  of  it.  England  with  its  numberless  hunts 
on  a  small  Island,  America  with  its  few  hunts  scattered  here 
and  there,  and  principally  drags  on  account  of  the  impossi- 
bility of  following  the  live  fox  into  woods,  swamps,  and  over 
stony  country.  What  America  lacks  more  than  all  is  the 
interchange  of  horse,  man,  and  hospitality,  and  this  latter  is 
almost  impossible  on  account  of  the  distances. 

Hunt  drag-hounds  in  Massachusetts  if  you  have  to,  teach 
your  horse  that  the  safest  way  is  to  go  up  quietly,  steady 
himself,  see  what  is  on  the  other  side,  and  then  jump.  No 
matter  how  well  you  know  the  country  it  is  more  or  less 
unsafe  to  do  otherwise,  as  some  one  might  have  knocked  a 
rock  off  the  wall  and  it  stays  where  you  want  to  land.  Of 
course  your  old  true  and  tried  hunter  has  each  leg  under 
as  good  control  as  a  High  School  Horse,  and  if  a  rock 
happens  to  be  in  the  wrong  place,  he  will  light  on  the  other 
foot  just  as  though  it  was  his  original  intention. 

"  Come,  I  will  show  you  a  country  with  acres  of  woodland 
and  oceans  of  grass."  But  in  America  there  are  only  possibly 
two  or  three  such  countries.  Genesee  Valley  is  ideal,  and 
even  if  the  season  is  dry  and  you  only  get  a  run  or  two,  a 
few  weeks  spent  in  the  most  glorious  country  you  ever  saw- 
will  not  be  lost.  Here  the  wall  is  the  exception  as  there  are 
only  one  or  two  in  the  ten  miles  up  and  down  the  valley ; 
rail  fences  and  now  and  then  a  slat  wire  fence  are  the  prin- 
cipal obstacles.  This  sort  of  fence,  and  the  fact  that  it  is 
principally  a  grazing  country,  makes  the  take  off  and  the 
landing  perfect;  both  you  and  your  mount  can  see  just 
exactly  what  is  on  the  other  side,  and  there  is  no  reason  for 
you  to  pull  up. 

Sit  close,  let  him  gallop  strong,  and  instead  of  teaching 


HUNTERS  AND  HUNTING.  591 

the  horse  to  go  carefully  at  his  fences,  let  him  learn  to  be 
bold,  taking  off  at  least  a  stride  away,  and  landing  a  stride 
beyond  the  far  side.  It  requires  a  little  lighter  hand  and  a 
little  more  confidence,  but  he  is  soon  with  you  if  you  give 
him  a  chance;  even  if  you  are  just  from  some  drag  stone- 
wall country  where  you  had  to  be  careful,  you  will  find  that 
after  he  has  steadied  himself  at  one  or  two  fences  and  jacked 
over  them,  so  to  speak,  he  begins  to  comprehend  the  situa- 
tion as  well  as  you  do,  and  within  a  day  or  two  stands  off 
as  well  as  the  rest,  and  you  would  hardly  believe  you  had 
the  same  horse  ;  but  many  a  time  you  get  into  a  corner  or 
narrow  lane,  when  you  will  find  that  the  careful  work  that 
you  put  in  to  make  him  clever  at  home  works  perfectly. 
The  Genesee  Valley  season  lasts  from  October  i  until  after 
Thanksgiving,  and  on  good  days  through  the  winter. 

The  Hunts  in  and  about  Philadelphia,  including  the 
Radnor,  Rose  Tree  and  others,  open  about  November  i, 
and  run  through  the  winter;  rain  or  shine,  soft  or  frost,  is 
the  way  they  go,  and  surely  it  is  not  a  bad  one,  and  if  you 
talk  with  any  of  the  men  who  go  strong  in  this  country  you 
will  find  that  their  objections  to  jumping  good  horses  on 
frozen  ground  are  few  and  far  between. 

The  fences  are  all  that  a  game  man  might  desire  ;  four 
feet,  post  and  rail,  not  old  weather-beaten  fences  such  as 
you  find  in  some  countries  ready  to  topple  over  when  you 
hit  them,  but  good  vigorous  fences  that  if  you  hit  you  stop 
then  and  there.  If  you  go  to  this  country  take  one  or  two 
that  you  can  depend  on  absolutely,  as  the  country  has  got 
to  be  jumped  clean  if  at  all. 

What  will  impress  you  most  if  you  have  been  hunting 
where  there  is  only  one  pack  is  the  fact  that  in  and  about 


592  HUNTERS  AND  HUNTING. 

Radnor,  Media,  and  Lima  there  are  more  fox  hunters  than 
you  ever  saw  before.  You  are  liable  to  be  following  your 
own  pack,  when  another  pack,  carrying  their  fox  along  on 
the  other  side  of  the  hill,  will  be  heard,  and  time  and  time 
again  two  and  three  packs  join  in  after  the  same  fox.  Hunt- 
ing in  this  country,  you  have  to  be  especially  careful  about 
the  roads  as  they  are  principally  macadam,  and,  cut  as  they 
are  through  the  country,  you  may  take  a  drop  of  six  to  eight 
feet.  There  is  no  country  that  reminds  you  more  of  England 
than  this  country,  and  any  one  interested  in  hunting  from 
a  sporting  point  of  view  should  surely  work  in  a  season. 

Going  further  south  we  find  the  Green  Spring  Valley 
Hunt  near  Baltimore;  here  are  stiff  post  and  rail,  and  the 
country  is  no  doubt  hunted  in  the  most  sportsman-like  way 
of  any  Hunt  in  America.  Good  sport  is  given  always  when 
it  is  possible,  and  when  one  goes  home  from  a  bad  day  you 
may  be  sure  that  the  master  did  his  best. 

In  Virginia  the  fox  has  been  hunted  from  time  immemo- 
rial, and  up  to  within  the  past  few  years  the  method  among 
the  farmers  and  the  natives  was  to  start  their  hounds,  go 
to  an  adjoining  hill-top,  wait  until  the  fox  was  carried  by, 
then  chase  along  the  road  to  the  next  stand,  and  in  this  way 
they  were  able  to  know  which  hounds  were  doing  the  work, 
acquaint  themselves  with  the  runs  of  the  different  foxes, 
and  have  all  the  pleasure  out  of  the  game,  except  just  the 
pleasure  that  the  average  follower  of  the  hounds  wants, 
namely,  the  jumping. 

To  Virginia,  Kentucky,  Tennessee,  and  the  other  southern 
States,  a  debt  of  gratitude  is  owed,  for  there  the  southern 
black-and-tan  hounds  have  been  fostered  for  generations. 
It  is  just  their  method  of  hunting  that  has  made  the  breed- 


HUNTERS  AND   HUNTING.  593 

ing  a  success,  as  their  whole  desire  has  been  to  breed  only 
the  best,  and  to  the  hound  who  started  his  fox,  followed  him 
from  morning  to  night,  was  first  to  pass  each  stand  on 
the  run-way,  giving  good  tongue,  was  the  prize  of  honor 
awarded. 

Did  you  ever  see  them  ?  If  their  ears  were  properly 
trimmed  and  set  up  you  would  believe  them  a  pack  of  large 
black-and-tan  terriers,  except  that  their  tails  are  carried  a 
little  over  their  backs,  tucked  up  in  the  flank  like  a  grey- 
hound, as  different  from  an  English  foxhound,  as  a  Field 
Trial  Pointer  of  the  South  is  from  the  Bench  Show  Pointer 
of  the  North.  Tongue  they  have,  plenty  of  it  and  more  too, 
and  it  takes  an  expert  almost  to  determine  whether  they 
really  mean  business  or  are  just  playing;  but  the  fact  remains 
that  they  are  the  only  strain  that  can  take  an  American  red 
fox  at  dawn,  run  him  all  day,  and  night  if  necessary. 

The  Virginia  country  is  a  combination  of  rail  fences  and 
stone  walls ;  not  the  large  stones  which  you  find  in  the 
North,  but  much  smaller,  so  much  so  that  often  plugs  of 
wood  have  to  be  put  in  the  wall  to  make  the  stone  balance 
and  lay  level.  This  makes  it  pleasant  for  your  green  mount's 
knees  as  he  can  push  them  over  without  so  much  injury 
to  himself. 

Now  that  hunting  is  becoming  more  popular,  and  more 
men  have  time  for  its  pursuit,  there  is  no  doubt  that  some 
of  the  hunts  in  the  North  will  arrange  to  have  not  only  their 
northern  country,  but  a  southern  country,  where  they  can 
go  and  enjoy  sport  through  the  winter  months.  October 
and  November  are  altogether  too  short,  and  when  the  com- 
bination of  huntsman  and  servant,  horse  and  hound,  is  once 
established  it  can  be  easily  moved  here  and  there. 


594  HUNTERS  AND  HUNTING. 

Pick  up  one  or  two  clean  bred  ones  and  go  and  try  a 
fortnight  with  the  Piedmont  Hunt;  a  better  country  you 
never  rode  over,  and  you  and  your  mount  will  have  to  be 
better  than  the  best  to  stay  with  Dulany's  black-and-tans 
when  they  break  from  beside  Goose  Creek,  and  follow  a 
stiff-necked  one  to  the  mountains  twelve  or  fifteen  miles 
away. 

But  with  the  best  hounds,  the  best  horses,  foxes  galore, 
there  is  just  one  thing  absolutely  necessary,  namely,  damp- 
ness, and  dampness  is  just  what  America  lacks.  You  cannot 
expect  the  hound  to  follow  the  trail  of  a  fox  in  a  season 
when  it  is  impossible  for  a  pointer  to  trail  and  locate  a  covey 
of  quail  unless  he  jumps  on  them,  and  the  average  fall 
weather  in  America  is  unfortunately  dry. 

Remember  as  you  are  so  your  horse  is  ;  whereas  you  can 
tell  some  men's  characters  by  their  writing,  some  can  be 
better  told  by  their  riding.  A  coward  heart,  a  coward  horse; 
a  game  heart,  a  game  horse.  Trust  him  and  he  respects 
you ;  and  nothing  is  so  necessary  in  sport,  life,  or  pleasure, 
as  that  same  respect  that  horse  and  rider  learn  to  feel  for 
each  other. 


CHAPTER   XXIV. 
EXHIBITING. 

BY   FRANCIS    M.   WARE. 

To  the  ambitious  neophyte  horse-shows  afford  field  for 
exploitation  along  three  lines :  the  sporting,  the  social,  and 
the  business.  As  presumably  of  most  interest,  the  first 
will  be  the  only  aspect  considered,  but,  in  a  way,  the  three 
are  interdependent,  and,  so  far  as  the  social  consideration 
figures,  it  is  the  inevitable  result  that  acquaintanceship  at 
least  is  greatly  augmented. 

Even  in  Juvenal's  time,  the  witchery  inseparable  from 
handling  horses  obtained  due  recognition  from  eager  youth 
as  :  — 

"  Sunt  quos  curriculo  pulverem  Olympicum 
Collegisse  juvat,  -metaque  fervidis 
Evitata  rotis,  palmaque  ..." 

Possessed  of  such  aspirations,  how  shall  the  tyro  best 
tempt  fortune?  in  what  connections?  and  with  what  varieties 
of  the  animal?  To  what  depths  may  disaster  plunge,  or  to 
what  pinnacles  may  success  elevate  him?  Deterred  by  un- 
known hazards,  many  an  amateur  hesitates,  and  finally  re- 
treats; fearing  perhaps  not  so  much  "the  slings  and  arrows 
of  outrageous  fortune,"  as  the  jeers  and  jibes  of  rivals  and 
of  friends.  He  who  goes  boldly  on  prepared  for  loss,  and 
delighted  with  consequently  unexpected  gain,  possesses  the 
true  sporting  instinct;  and  in  him  we  find  the  most  con- 
sistently enthusiastic  supporter  of  the  only  four  out-door 

695 


596  EXHIBITING. 

amusements  as  yet  not  seriously  tainted  with  the  savor  of 
professionalism,  —  these  being  golf,  yachting,  polo,  and  horse- 
shows  ;  all  of  which,  broadly  speaking,  insure  a  losing  bal- 
ance-sheet to  every  participant,  the  emblem  of  victory  and 
its  usually  petty  accompaniment  of  hard  cash  (or  other 
token)  being  dearly  won. 

If  the  novice  has  no  predilection  for  any  special  branch 
of  the  undertaking  —  harness,  saddle,  hunting  or  breeding  — 
he  will  find  that,  of  all  divisions,  the  pony  classes  (in  all 
heights)  offer  the  best  chances  of  success.  The  original 
investment  required  is  not  large,  the  possible  returns  more 
proportionate  to  outlay,  all  expenses  of  keep,  etc.,  very 
small,  and  the  field  exceptionally  open;  wonderfully  so,  all 
advantages  considered.  While  true  to-day,  this  will  not  long 
obtain,  and  in  the  pony  the  enthusiast  finds  his  golden 
opportunity ;  for  there  is  an  unquestionably  brilliant  future 
before  these  little  creatures,  and  no  efforts  are  making  to 
anticipate  it.  The  scarcity  of  larger  horses  of  acceptable 
merit  is  about  to  force  the  pony,  for  purposes  of  business  as 
for  pleasure,  into  a  position  which  he  has  never  yet  remotely 
approached,  and  which  it  would  be  impossible  for  him  to 
attain  (in  America)  but  for  the  curious  periods  of  depression 
and  elation,  abundance  and  depletion,  which  have  marked, 
since  1895,  the  career  of  the  native  horse  of  larger  growth. 

To  insure  official  recognition  the  exhibit  must  be  true 
to  the  accepted  type  for  that  purpose,  and  nothing  but  dis- 
criminating observation  and  comparison  of  living  animals 
will,  in  this  respect,  equip  the  tyro ;  nor  must  his  study  be 
confined  to  horses  so  conditioned  as  to  deceive  the  eye  as 
to  their  proportions,  or  many  a  jewel  in  the  rough  will 
escape  his  notice ;  for  flesh,  like  charity,  covers  a  multitude 


EXHIBITING.  597 

of  (physical)  sins,  always  of  omission.  Accurate  photo- 
graphs are  a  slight  help,  but  all  individuality  is,  in  them, 
generally  lacking.  Comparison  with  imperfect  specimens 
should  also  be  carefully  made,  and  that  true  eye  cultivated 
which  becomes  finally  mechanical.  Women,  with  their 
usual  fine  sense  of  proportion  and  harmony  of  outline,  are 
astoundingly  accurate  in  their  decisions,  and  should,  long 
since,  have  graced  with  their  presence,  in  judicial  capacity, 
our  show  rings.  Judges  differ,  of  course,  and  the  accepted 
here  is  rejected  there,  but  this  does  not  affect  the  necessity, 
as  an  initial  factor,  of  true  type. 

Show  circuits  are  not  as  consecutive  in  arrangement  as 
they  might  be,  and  the  vitally  necessary  Association  of 
Horse  Shows  (if  it  is  ever  formed)  can  competently  arrange 
these  details  to  the  ensuing  benefit  alike  of  exhibitions  and 
exhibitors. 

Catalogue  conditions  should  be  carefully  studied,  and 
entries  adapted  to  the  classes  apparently  suitable.  It  is 
rarely  advisable  to  enter  horses  in  events  which  may  be 
unsuited  to  their  abilities,  for  once  enrolled  in  the  lists,  it 
is  but  human  to  begin  to  make  excuses  for  shortcomings, 
etc.,  and  one  may  finally  deceive  himself  into  the  belief  that 
his  gig-horse  type  is  really  a  runabout  horse,  and  grieve 
bitterly  over  the  decision  which  shows  him  that  he  should 
have  remained  in  his  proper  class.  Ability  in  "  placing  "  an 
entry  is  most  essential  in  showing,  as  in  racing.  Send 
entries  early,  and  thus  help,  by  your  prompt  patronage,  all 
interests. 

Assumed  that  the  horse  is  in  the  bodily  condition  that  he 
must  be  to  figure  as  an  aspirant,  he  will  travel  to  the  show 
by  express  if  distant,  by  freight  or  road  if  near  by.  Per- 


598  EXHIBITING. 

sonally  it  has  always  seemed  best  to  go  over  the  road  if  a 
matter  of  thirty  miles  or  less.  Horses  take  no  harm,  and 
are  saved  the  shipping  risks  always  impending;  the  expense 
is  less,  while  time  is  of  little  consequence.  The  heavy 
shoes,  if  worn,  should  be  most  carefully  fitted,  and  always 
used  at  least  a  few  times  before  showing.  Much  grief  has 
been  caused  by  neglecting  such  precautions,  or  by  rinding 
collar  too  small,  check  the  wrong  length,  back-strap  too 
short,  brow-band  narrow,  etc.,  on  entering  the  arena.  Balk- 
ing, kicking,  "  making  a  noise,"  etc.,  in  the  ring  are  fre- 
quently caused  by  lack  of  attention  to  these  details.  A 
pair  will  sometimes  be  coupled  wrong  also,  and  new  and 
slippery  reins  and  gloves  have  more  than  once  afforded  a 
combination  that  has  resulted  in  disaster. 

Of  course  a  competent  and  trustworthy  man  will  be  in 
charge  of  show  horses,  and  if  he  is  that,  he  will  properly 
care  for  them  en  route,  and  on  arrival.  Change  of  water 
may  make  slight  trouble,  and  if  the  horse  is  used  to  "  soft 
water  "  care  should  be  taken  that  he  is  so  provided,  and  that 
the  hard  variety  is  softened  for  him ;  but,  in  his  robust 
health,  there  is  little  to  fear  from  such  changes.  Show 
buildings  are  apt  to  be  draughty  and  ill-ventilated,  and 
animals  should  be  kept  well  covered  and  protected. 

Stimulants  and  "  soothing  syrups "  are  more  frequently 
used  than  the  general  public  believes,  but  rarely  do  any  good. 
While  generally  condemned,  it  is  not  certain  that  this  prac- 
tice is  always  reprehensible,  for  a  drink  of  whiskey  or  sherry 
to  a  faint-hearted  brute  may  make  all  the  difference  between 
defeat  and  victory.  Incidents  have  occurred  in  nearly  all  our 
show  rings  directly  traceable  to  "  dope  "  and  drugs.  No  nov- 
ice should  use  any  such  thing,  no  decent  man  will  use  drugs ; 


EXHIBITING.  599 

still,  a  cowardly  jumper,  for  instance,  may  prove  a  lion  with 
a  cocktail  or  two  under  his  girths,  and  in  default  of  legislation, 
where  and  how  are  we  to  draw  the  line  ? 

"  Burrs  "  are  never  —  or  should  never  —  be  allowed  in  the 
arena.  They  are  useful  and  not  necessarily  cruel  appliances 
in  themselves,  but  proof  that  the  wearer  is  apt  to  lunge, 
bore,  drive  on  one  rein,  or  play  the  fool  in  some  way  that 
effectually  extinguishes  his  show  chances. 

Port  bits  should  be  condemned,  and  are  seldom  used. 
Tight  bearing-reins  are  just  now  a  fad,  but  like  everything 
we  do,  we  have  run  to  extremes,  and  our  horses'  backbones 
fairly  creak  so  extreme  is  the  elevation,  while  if  thus  hampered 
it  is  simply  impossible  for  them  to  "  use  their  hocks,"  etc.,  as 
they  should.  The  matter  of  shoeing  is  different  with  each 
subject.  Some  need  weight  in  heel,  some  in  toe ;  some 
very  long  toes  all  round,  some  long  only  in  front,  etc. 
Experiment  and  observation  will  show  what  is  needful,  and 
there  are  no  hard  and  fast  rules  to  apply.  For  hacks  and 
hunters,  tips  properly  applied  have  always  given  the  writer 
best  satisfaction. 

A  show  horse  needs  little  or  no  exercise  beyond  leading  in 
hand  for  an  hour  daily.  Everything  depends  upon  his  being 
fresh  and  "above  himself."  Very  rarely  will  his  exertions  in 
the  arena  call  for  any  genuine  "  condition  "  to  carry  him 
through,  and  the  average  horse  needs  every  ounce  of  flesh 
he  can  carry  to  smooth  over  his  bodily  irregularities  and 
help  his  "conformation."  One  cannot  keep  show  horses  in 
show  form  and  use  them  also,  and  to  that  the  mind  must  be 
made  up  from  the  start. 

If  the  neophyte  would  court  much  vexation  of  spirit, 
or  if  he  yearns  to  tempt  Fortune  to  the  very  limit,  he  may,  if 


600     DRIVING  CLASSES— THE  HEAVY  HARNESS   HORSE. 

his  bank  account  allows,  disport  himself  in  the  appointment 
classes.  These  displays  are  highly  edifying,  most  picturesque 
both  in  detail  and  ensemble,  and  a  valuable  object  lesson. 
To  be  successful,  one  must  rank,  not  as  a  mere  showman, 
but  as  a  genius,  one  who  possesses  the  quality  aptly  defined 
as  "  capacity  for  taking  infinite  pains."  Such  details  have 
been  carried  to  absurd  length  in  the  past,  and  while  the 
latter-day  judges  appear  more  lenient,  they  do  not  noticeably 
arrive  at  more  consistent  conclusions  now  than  of  yore.  So 
well  are  the  essentials  nowadays  understood  that  practically 
all  equipages  shown  are  appropriately  appointed.  Some  little 
fad  may  be  noticeable,  an  occasional  immaterial  mistake 
may  be  made ;  but  these  departures  from  the  correct  are  as 
infrequent  as  they  are  inconsequential.  The  percentages 
allowed  for  vehicle,  etc.,  are  disproportionate.  Where  all 
equipages  are  correct,  such  accounts  must  balance,  and 
the  classes  are  practically  decided  upon  the  merits  of  the 
horses.  Were  there  any  accepted  standards,  like  those 
adopted  by  the  Coaching  Club  for  park  and  road  coaches, 
matters  would  adjust  themselves,  but  when  the  personal 
caprice  of  three  individuals,  not  one  of  whom  may  be  an 
authority,  decides,  confusion  reigns,  and  the  game  emphat- 
ically is  not  worth  the  candle,  at  least  for  the  beginner  or  the 
man  of  moderate  means. 

DRIVING   CLASSES. 

THE  HEAVY  HARNESS  HORSE. 

THE  first  cost  of  a  heavy  harness  animal,  really  fit  to  show, 
is  very  large,  his  equipment  extremely  expensive ;  and  while, 
if  one  of  the  elect,  he  may  prevent  heavy  deficit,  or  even  earn 


THE   HEAVY  HARNESS  HORSE.  601 

profits,  the  chances  are  all  against  it.  Freight  and  express 
charges  for  such  an  outfit  run  to  large  figures,  to  be  further 
augmented  if  the  owner  intrust  the  conditioning  and  show- 
ing of  his  steeds  to  professional  hands,  thereby  depending 
upon  others  for  what  he  may,  at  least  expense,  learn  to  do 
equally  well  himself,  hugely  profiting  by  his  own  mistakes. 

The  old  methods  of  laying  down  rails  at  intervals  for  the 
horse  to  trot  over,  etc.,  the  using  wet  clay  beds,  corn  stalks, 
shallow  water,  deep  snow,  etc.,  for  exercise,  increase  action 
at  the  time,  but  the  effect  rarely,  or  never,  lasts.  If  a  cord  is 
run  through  the  horse's  mouth,  through  the  check-loops  and 
back  under  tail  (like  a  crupper),  and  used  as  a  check,  the  hock 
action  may  be  helped  ;  and  if  his  exercise  (always  for  a  few 
minutes  only)  is  given  him,  short  and  sharp,  and  thus  rigged, 
it  may  assist  matters.  If  several  pounds  of  lead  are  placed 
on  the  feet  of  a  common  horse  (this  will  not  answer  if  intel- 
ligent) and  he  is  led  about  at  a  walk  with  it,  and  then  trotted 
(without  the  lead),  he  will  go  very  high  for  a  few  moments. 
To  continue  the  high  action,  however,  the  whole  balance  and 
poise  must  be  changed  —  a  matter  for  hands  and  head  to 
insure.  Given  any  animal  of  suitable  conformation,  may  his 
action  be  improved  to  horse  show  grade  ?  This  is  so  purely 
a  matter  of  individual  adaptability,  balance,  activity,  etc.,  that 
no  absolute  laws  can  be  laid  down,  or  it  would  be  all  too 
easy.  It  can  only  be  affirmed  that  where  one  animal  im- 
proves steadily,  an  hundred  will  fail  to  advance,  to  show 
"  form,"  be  processes  what  they  may. 

Restrained  speed,  that  in  which  the  shoulder  plays  an  im- 
portant part,  affords  the  most  brilliant  action ;  for  if  a  horse, 
by  sharp  bitting,  etc.,  cannot  go  on  he  may  go  up,  and  if  he  gets 
the  idea,  and  the  possibly  needful  heel-or-toe- weight  assistance, 


602  SHOW  RING  DRIVING. 

he  may  become  most  brilliant.  One  can  never  prophesy, 
however,  and  while  one  horse  steps  high  in  two  lessons, 
another,  equally  promising,  will  not  in  two  years. 

If  at  an  indoor  show  and  your  horse  is  wearing  a  very 
stiff  check,  bear  him  up  for  a  while  before  "  putting  to,"  that 
he  may  give  to  it,  and  supple  his  neck  before  you  "  gag " 
him  up  hard  —  mercilessly,  as  it  is  often  done  —  else  he  may 
throw  himself,  or  enter  the  ring  plunging,  or  even  balk,  all  of 
which  may  count  against  him  heavily. 

The  light  harness  roadster  neither  receives,  nor  responds 
to,  general  recognition  in  the  show  ring;  although  he,  of 
all  others,  represents  the  national  type.  Our  arenas  are 
too  contracted  to  allow  of  speed  display ;  such  ability  is  too 
generously  considered ;  these  horses  are  never  trained  for 
exhibition,  and  their  performance  is  not  sensational,  nor 
attractive  to  the  attendance.  Amateur  driving  clubs  are 
now  forming  throughout  America,  and  it  is  for  them  to 
see  to  it  that  this  characteristically  American  horse  receives 
the  recognition  and  the  opportunity  for  suitable  exhibition 
he  deserves.  No  classes  are,  to  the  foreigner  especially,  so 
interestingly  typical. 

SHOW    RING    DRIVING. 

First  impressions  go  a  long  way  with  judges,  and  if  your 
horse  enters  the  ring  smartly,  but  bending  himself  well  and 
showing  good  deportment,  you  are  sure  of  consideration  at 
least. 

Once  inside,  take  every  advantage  of  the  arena's  length  ; 
keep  close  to  the  rail  all  the  way  round  ;  nor  be  deluded 
by  racing  or  over-driving  competitors  into  doing  anything 
else.  This  habit  is  easily  formed,  and  gives  every  inch 


SHOW  RING   DRIVING.  603 

there  is  of  straight  going,  insures  the  horse  being  straight 
himself,  and  allows  him  the  hard  footing  where  others' 
wheels  have  run,  instead  of  the  deep  and  cuppy  surface 
where  other  horses  have  trod.  A  horse  may  thus  be  eased 
upon  the  turns,  giving  him  that  long  breath  or  two  by  which 
he  will  profit  then  or  later.  Until  the  "  weeding  out " 
begins  it  will  probably  be  best  to  make  just  "  show  "  enough 
to  attract  official  attention,  and  prevent  rejection  via  the 
"gate."  Perhaps  once,  if  the  judges  are  looking,  it  will  be 
well  to  "  pull  him  together"  and  let  him  parade;  but  do  not 
do  too  much  ;  nor  fear  lest  competent  judges  be  not  im- 
pressed favorably  by  such  moderation.  A  park  pace,  horse 
steady  and  going  level  (no  hopping  or  skiving),  head  and 
all  in  the  right  place,  etc.,  —  if  "  turned  down  "  now,  that 
fate  was  impending,  anyway. 

Once  called  in  to  line  up  among  those  reserved  for  future 
inspection,  come  slowly  into  line,  and,  if  your  horse  is  handy 
(and  the  judges  are  looking),  go  a  length  or  two  beyond  the 
line,  and  then  quietly  back  into  position,  that  they  may 
be  early  impressed  with  the  horse's  handiness  (very  helpful 
also  in  case  he  makes  some  subsequent  "  bad  break  " ).  Now 
is  the  chance  to  rest,  and  let  the  horse's  head  down,  if 
possible,  while  the  others  are  being  called  in  ;  do  not  let 
him  stand  "  in  his  collar,"  but  ease  him  every  way  possible. 
When  the  officials  come  down  the  line,  make  your  charge 
"stand  out  "and  show  himself;  keep  him  square  on  his  legs, 
and  take  any  advantage  possible,  from  any  restiveness  dis- 
played by  competitors,  to  prove  that  your  horse  at  least 
stands  still,  does  not  "hog"  on  his  check,  nor  plunge  and 
rear,  nor  lie  down. 

When  again  called  out,  if  your  animal  bears  comparison 


604  SHOW  RING  DRIVING. 

favorably,  try  and  be  quick  enough  to  lead  off,  and  turn  the 
way  your  horse  shows  best,  as  each  has  some  preference  in 
this  connection.  By  getting  in  front,  the  pace  may  be 
regulated  to  suit  your  charge  and  to  annoy  some  other. 
If  his  best  display  calls  for  pace,  go  along  with  him  until  the 
judges  interfere;  if  he  is  better  at  a  slow  gait,  hold  him  to 
what  he  can  do,  square  and  true.  Be  doubly  careful  now  to 
go  into  all  the  corners  and  close  to  the  fence,  for,  even  if 
you  are  out-speeded,  the  critics  always  allow  for  the  fact 
that  you  are  going  the  longest  way  round,  and  they  can't 
tell  just  what  handicap  that  amounts  to,  whereas,  should  the 
tracks  of  competitors  be  followed,  and  ground  still  be  lost, 
any  one  can  see  just  how  much  you  are  "shy"  on  pace. 
Should  a  dangerous  rival  essay  to  pass  you  on  a  turn,  take 
your  horse  back,  quick,  and  smooth,  just  as  he  is  overtaken ; 
he  would  get  the  worst  of  it,  anyway,  and  that  instant's 
relief  may  yet  pull  him  through. 

Condemnation  escaped,  and  a  third  parade  ordered,  it  is 
"do  or  die."  "  Go  after"  your  horse  fof  all  he  has,  and 
whatever  you  both  can  do,  show  it  now.  Get  behind  the 
most  dangerous  contestant  if  you  can,  and  stay  there,  never 
passing  him  except  just  at  the  very  last  (if  your  pace  is  as 
good,  or  better,  than  his).  You  can  thus  see  and  avail 
your  charge  of  any  "  easy  "  your  rival  attempts.  Keep  a 
little  inside  him,  for  now  it  will  be  well  to  cut  corners. 
Should  you  suffer  from  comparison,  get  as  far  away  as 
possible  from  dangerous  opponents,  and  make  as  good  a 
show  as  you  can  manage.  It  will  be  difficult  to  keep  away 
if  any  one  fears  you,  but  you  should  try,  anyhow. 


SADDLE   HORSES.  605 


SADDLE    HORSES. 

More  expensive  than  the  hunter,  he  has  not  to  recom- 
mend him  so  proportionately  liberal  an  earning  capacity ; 
nor  can  he  successfully  compete  if  he  bear  the  various 
blemishes  which  may  not  in  any  way  detract  from  the  value, 
as  a  show  proposition,  of  a  hunter  or  jumper.  Exhibitions, 
as  a  rule,  do  not  afford  to  the  saddle  horse  more  than  one  or 
two  opportunities  at  each  re-union  to  compete,  whereas  the 
hunter  may  probably  disport  himself  several  times.  This 
discrimination  has  always  seemed  unwise,  and  results  in  the 
campaigning  of  but  few  saddle  animals. 

When  showing  a  saddle  horse,  enter  the  ring  at  a  walk 
if  he  goes  that  pace  as  a  real  hack  should  (if  not,  try  to 
conceal  it  by  various  caracoles,  etc.).  First  or  last  places 
are  always  the  best,  because  the  judges  are  generally  watch- 
ing the  entrance,  and  a  really  first-class,  nimble  walker  is 
a  desperately  hard  horse  to  forget.  Be  they  ever  so  im- 
pressed, however,  with  the  leader,  the  authorities  are' looking 
for  something  as  good,  or  better,  than  he  appears,  and  the 
last  to  enter  has  a  grand  chance  to  make  further  impression, 
especially  if  it  can  be  managed  that  your  "next-ahead" 
gets  several  lengths  in  the  lead  ;  for  your  performance,  as 
you  stride  briskly  up  to,  and  possibly  past  him,  will  be 
appreciated.  Lead,  at  the  canter,  should  be  changed  in 
"straight  going  "(if  the  horses  will  do  it  nicely),  without  the 
judges' orders,  and  will  have  great  effect  in  proving  handiness 
and  manners.  At  the  trot,  stick  to  a  fair  road  pace  —  what 
your  mount  can  do  collectively  and  evenly  —  and  never 
mind  who  passes  you.  Judges  want  a  fair  saddle-horse 
display,  and  of  course  preliminary  instruction  has  taught 


606  HUNTERS. 

yours  to  stand  still,  to  back  freely,  to  side-step,  and  to 
stand  for  mounting,  etc.,  with  head  quite  loose.  Make  the 
animal  bend  and  show  himself  when  judges  are  near, 

HUNTERS. 

The  hunter  may  be  considered  the  most  profitable  show 
horse  for  the  reasons  that  the  raw  material  is  generally 
cheap,  and  may  develop  into  an  animal  of  great  value  for 
both  show  and  sale  purposes ;  that  premiums  for  this  variety 
are  always  numerous,  and  of  fair  amount;  and  that  travelling 
expenses  as  with  saddle-horses,  are  small,  since  no  vehicles 
are  transported. 

There  is  little  to  say  concerning  hunters.  Performances 
over  fences  is  the  only  point  at  which  you  can  assist,  and 
you  can  best  do  that  by  sitting  perfectly  still,  going  along 
at  a  fair  hunting  pace  all  the  way,  since  the  average  jumper 
does  better  if  not  interfered  with  between  fences,  and  judges 
prefer  such  a  style.  In  fact  it  might  well  be  ruled  that  all 
contestants  must  cover  the  course  in  a  certain  time.  This 
would  allow  for  a  refusal  or  two,  but  would  insure  a  fair 
pace,  and  reach  definite  and  intelligent  results  more  quickly, 
putting  the  rushers  and  refusers  on  the  shelf  where  they 
belong. 

If  a  hunter  is  entered  in  several  classes,  and  the  ground 
(as  usual)  is  very  hard,  care  must  be  taken  that  shoulders 
and  loins  are  well  massaged  with  alcohol,  etc.,  to  prevent 
soreness.  A  horse  should  always  be  ridden  about  before 
entering  the  arena  to  "  get  him  on  his  feet."  Horses  are 
mounted  in  the  ring,  and  taken  at  their  fences  instantly, 
and,  of  course,  jump  badly.  Long  trots  and  canters  up  steep 
hills  are  the  best  preliminary  if  the  animal  already  knows 


HUNTERS. 


607 


his  business,  and  he  will  prove  the  more  keen,  and  jump 
the  cleaner,  if  he  has  not  been  schooled  to  death  just  before- 
hand. If  he  is  raw  and  green,  of  course  he  must  be  re- 
hearsed ;  and  this  should  be  done  at  such  fences  as  the 
shows  usually  provide  :  always  stiff,  and  at  constantly 
varying  heights,  that  the  eye  may  be  educated, 
and  that  he  may  learn  to  estimate  for  himself, 
and  not  fall  into  the  habit  of  always  mak- 
ing about  so  much  exertion  —  a  mechan- 
ical style  which  makes  many  slovenly 
performers. 


ONE    HORSE    RUNNING    RECORDS. 


609 


DISTANCE. 

TIME. 

D.      11.       M.         S. 

YEAR. 

COUNTRY. 

i  M  le 

i     i^lA 

1890 

United  States  of  America, 

4  M  les 

7      ICV 

1831 

10      '               ... 

.    .                -72 

1824 

.     .                         England 

"•o 

.     .                     CA 

I7Q2 

England 

22  14 

CQ           ?Q 

1766 

66     :  :  :  :  . 

.  .     6    

1836 

.          .           England 

1  10                  

•     17      1O 

178-? 

I08                  

.    .     4O      7C,       ... 

1771 

^oo            

•J          OJ 

.  .    64     20      ... 

I754 

England 

4.^0                    ..... 

6    

1781 

«...          .      England 

RIDING    RECORDS. 


DISTANCE. 

TIME. 

D.      H.      M.       S. 

YEAR. 

COUNTRY. 

IT   M  i  1  68 

CQ            C 

15      "      (Trotting)      
50      "      (10  Horses)  
C.C,      "      (Num   Horses) 

•  •     ow       i 

.  .  58  .  . 

i     49     17 

-7        e  C 

1878 

i?59 
1810 

England 
England 

71         '                       *'                          

-      5i     •  ; 
?      40      c6 

ioiy 
174.  c 

England 

90       '      (8  Horse^)               .... 

4C"?        71 

1824 

ne      '      1  1  -j  Horses)                      .     . 

jJ      J* 
A         7 

1826 

6     25 

I7QI 

England 

140      '      (Num    Horses)       

7'lA 

1801 

England 

17"*      '      (14  Horses) 

8     n 

180-7 

200       '      (28  Horses)  

o** 

8     ^q     . 

18^1 

Engla.nd 

213     "      (21  Horses)  
2900     "      (21  Horses)  . 

•        ii     33  .52 
^9  (consecutive) 

I74S 
1761 

England 
England 

DRIVING    RECORDS. 


DISTANCE. 

NUMBER 

OF 

HORSES. 

TIME. 

D.    H.    M.     S. 

VEHICLE. 

YEAR. 

COUNTRY. 

i  Mile 
4  Miles 

i 

Several 

....    2    3 

....    12    . 

Sulky 
Coach 

1891 

United  States  of  America 
.     .     England 

i  c,     " 

i 

.     C.C. 

1777 

England 

10        « 

4 

e-j 

4  Wheeled 

17  CQ 

England 

20       " 

S6  56 

1891 

*y        " 

•*5 

2Q      " 

Several 

*    •    J^    D^ 
^ 

I    4Q 

S0       « 

r2          « 

Several 
Several 

.  .     3  28  .  . 
?  ^o  .  . 

Coach 

60         « 

Several 

4    CO  .    . 

"Quicksilver" 

1891 

66     " 

Several 

.  .     6     ... 

C  oach 

18^6 

100       " 

i 

..    1  1    2  1    30 

1810 

.         England 

176     " 

Several 

1  6  10 

Coach 

England 

IOOO       " 

i 

IQ 

1801 

In  many  instances  these  records  cannot  be  verified. 


INDEX. 


ACCOMMODATIONS  for  servants,  60. 
ACTION,  109. 
ADVERTISEMENTS 

of  horses,  148. 

for  servants,  328. 

AGE  of  horse,  means  of  determin- 
ing, 114. 
AIR,  28. 
ALOES, 

Barbadoes,  454. 

on  bedding,  416. 
ANCHOR-DRAUGHT,  183. 
ANCHOR,  ball  and  ring  draught. 

183. 

ANUS,  105. 

ANTISPASMODICS,  534. 
APPLICATIONS 

for  sore  back,  512. 

for  sore  shoulders,  511. 

for  strained  tendons,  435. 
APPOINTMENTS, 

Carriages,  86. 

Harness,  202. 

Livery,  340. 
APRONS,  288. 

Care  of,  529. 

Cost,  312. 

ASHLEIGH  bit,  256,  260. 

ASPECT  of  stables,  32. 
ATMOSPHERE,    its    effect    on    the 

horse,  28. 
AUCTION  SALES 

of  carriages,  75. 

of  horses,  150. 


AXLES,  67. 

Care  of,  518. 

AXLE-ARM,  bed,  box  and  tree   67, 
68. 

AXLE  oil,  520. 

BACK,  horse's,  100,  104. 
BACK  strap,  187. 
BADGES,  13. 
BALANCE 

of  carriages,  73. 

of  horses,  no. 
BALED 

hay,  395- 

straw,  416. 
BALKINESS,  117. 
BALL,  454. 

BALLING  of  the  feet,  451. 
BANDAGES,  432. 

Care  of,  386,  437. 

Chamois,  435. 

Cost,  20. 

Flannel,  433. 

Linen,  434. 

Lotions,  435. 

Method  of  applying,  436. 

Straw,  435. 

Use  of,  432. 

Woollen,  435. 
BANDEAU,  16. 
BARBADOES  aloes,  454. 
BAROUCHE, 

Cost  and  weight,  85. 


611 


612 


BAROUCHE  — BODY. 


BAROUCHE, 

Horse,  131. 
"BARREL,"  104. 
BARS, 

Lead,  main  and  splinter,  91, 
96,  501. 

of  foot,  1 08,  445. 

of  the  mouth,  115. 

of  saddle,  218,  219. 

Tandem,  499. 
BASKET  phaeton,  cost  and  weight, 

85- 

BAY,  113. 
BEANS,  404. 
BEARING-REIN, 

Drop,  169,  170. 

Drop-strap,  169. 

Hook,  1 86. 

Plain  and  full,  176. 

Post,  1 86. 

Use  of,  485- 
BEDDING, 

Chap.  XV,  411. 

Arranging,  414. 

Leaves,  413. 

Peat  moss,  412. 

Purchase,  416. 

Sawdust,  413. 

Shavings,  412. 

Straw,  412,  413. 

Turf,  413. 

Weights  and  measures,  417. 
BEESWAX,  523. 

Use  of,  523. 
BELLY,  horse's,  100. 
BILLETS,  195. 
BILLS,  24. 
BINS,  grain,  59. 
BITING, 

Crib,  117. 

Vicious,  117. 


BITS, 

Chap.  X,  249. 

Adjusting,  484. 

Bridoon,  262,  271. 

Care  of,  521. 

Cheek-pieces,  253,  254. 

Choice  of,  255. 

Curb,  254,  255. 

Driving,  259-263. 

Fitting,  249,  255. 

Mouth-pieces,  250. 

Parts  of,  250. 

Riding,  267. 
BITTING,  481. 
BLACK  horse,  112,  113. 
BLACKING  for  boots,  20. 
BLANKETS, 

Chap.  XI,  291. 

Care  of,  385. 

Cost,  312. 

Dress,  291. 

Exercising,  297. 

Fitting,  291. 

Quarter,  291. 

Stable,  295. 

Use  of,  419. 

BLANKETING,  Chap.  XVI,  418. 
BLAZE,  114. 

BLEMISHES  and  defects,  116. 
BLINDERS  (see  Winkers). 
BLINDNESS,  117. 
BLINKERS  (see  Winkers). 
BLISTERING,  538. 
BODY,  horse's,  100,  104. 
BODY-BRUSH, 

Care  of,  387. 
Cost,  20. 
Use  of,  427. 
BODY-BUILDING,  72. 
BODY  coats, 

Coachman's,  342. 
Care  of,  527. 


BODY— BRUSH. 


613 


BODY  coats, 

Cost,  356. 

Groom's,  343. 
BOLTING 

the  food,  411. 

Shying,  117. 
BOOTS, 

Cost  of  servants',  356. 

for  horses,  306. 

for  servants,  350. 

Rubber  boots,  20. 
BOOT-BRUSHES,  20. 
BOOT-TOPS,  350. 

Cost,  356. 

BOOT-TOP  brushes,  cost,  20. 
BOOT-TOP  powder, 

Cost,  21. 

Use  of,  529. 
BOOT-TOP  stain, 

Cost,  21. 

Use  of,  529. 
BOOT-TREES, 

Cost,  356. 

Use  of,  529. 
BOTS,  476. 
BOX-COATS,  352. 
BOXES,  loose,  51. 
BOYS,  stable,  327. 
BRAID 

for  livery,  344. 

for  mats,  381. 

for  pillikins,  383. 
BRAN,  401. 

Cost,  21,  401. 

BRASS  mounts,  cleaning,  526. 
BREAK,  body,    roof   and    skeleton, 

85. 

BREAKING-CART,  cost   and   weight, 

85. 

BREAKING-OUT,     after     grooming, 

511- 

BREAST-CLOTH,  298. 
BREAST-COLLAR,  180. 


BREAST-PLATE,  194. 
BREECHES,  348. 

Care  of,  529. 

Cost,  356. 
BREECHES  paste, 

Cost,  20. 

Use  of,  529. 
BREECHES-TREES, 

Cost,  356. 

Use  of,  529. 
BREECHING,  190. 

Adjusting,  496. 
BREECHING-STRAP,  191. 

Adjusting,  496. 
BREEDERS,  148. 
BRIDLE, 

Adjusting,  489,  492. 

Driving,  169. 

of  carriage  pole,  78. 

Riding,  241,  243,  247,  573. 
BRIDOON, 

Plain,  262,  271. 

Pulley,  262. 
BRIDOON-HEAD,  241. 
BRISKET,  100,  104. 
BROKEN  knee,  down,  wind,  117. 
BROOMS,  cost,  20. 
BROUGHAM, 

Appointments,  86,  87. 

Cost  and  weight,  85. 

Origin,  94. 
BROUGHAM  harness, 

Appointments,  202,  203. 

Saddle  of,  187. 
BROUGHAM  horse,  128. 
BROW-BAND,  170. 
BROWN 

Horse,  113. 

Leather,  166,  524. 
BRUISED  oats,  398,  399. 
BRUISES,  116. 
BRUSH, 

Body,  20,  304. 


614 


BRUSH—  CHEEK-PIECE. 


BRUSH, 

Care  of,  387. 

Dandy,  20,  304. 

Use  of,  427. 

Water,  20,  304. 
BRUSHING,  interfering,  no. 
BUCKLE, 

Bar,  226. 

of  saddle-girths,  237. 

of  riding  bridles,  241. 

of  stirrup  leathers,  226. 

Single   and    double,   horse- 
shoe and  square,  165. 

Trace,  184,  185. 
BUGGY, 

Appointments,  89,  90. 

Cost  and  weight,  85. 
BURNISHER, 

Cost,  20. 

Use  of,  521. 
BURRS,  266. 
Bus  (see  Omnibus). 
BUSHEL,  dimensions  of,  398,  400. 
BUTTONS,  livery,  341. 
BUTTON-PLATE, 

Cost,  21. 

Use  of,  528. 
BUXTON   bit,  260. 
BUYING 

Carriages,  81. 

Harness,  216. 

Horses,  153. 

Horse  clothing,  294. 

Livery,  339. 

"C"  SPRING,  70. 

Victoria,  86. 
CABRIOLET, 

Cost  and  weight,  85. 

Horse  for,  132. 

Origin,  97. 
CALF-KNEES,  105. 


CALKINGS,  447. 

Boot  for,  306. 

CAMPHOR  for  carriages,  513. 
CANTLE,  218. 

CANON  bone,  100,  105,  107. 
CANONS  of  bit,  250. 
CANTERING,  458. 
CARE  OF 

harness  and  saddles,  523. 

horses  after  work,  510. 
CARRIAGES, 

Chap.  V,  62. 

Appointments,  86. 

Care  of,  512. 

Cost  and  weight,  85. 

Type  of  horse  for,  123. 

Varieties,  85. 

Washing,  514. 
CARRIAGE  house  (see  Coach  house), 

36. 

CARRIAGE  lamps,  care  of,  518. 
CARRIAGE  robes,  286. 

Care  of,  529. 

Cost,  312. 
CARROTS,  405. 

Cost,  21. 
CARTS,  73,  85. 
CATARACT,  117. 
CENTRE-PIECE,  104. 
CHAFF,  394. 
CHAMOIS, 

Bandages,  432. 

Black,  20. 

Buying,  305. 

Dry,  20,  305. 

Oil-tanned,  20. 
CHAPES,  169. 
CHECK  bits,  263. 
CHEEK-PIECE 

of  bridle,  169,  174. 

of  bit,  250-254. 

Leather,  266. 


CHESTNUT—  CONDITION. 


615 


CHESTNUT  horse,  113. 
CHIFNEY  bit,  270. 
CHILDREN'S  pony,  135. 
CHILL,  511,  533. 
CHIN  groove,  100. 
CHOICE  of 

a  horse,  121. 

a  carriage,  81. 
CHUTE,  hay  and  grain,  59. 
CLEANING 

Bridle,  427. 

Carriages,  514. 

Harness,  523. 

Saddles,  523. 

Stable,  375. 

Stalls,  31,  375. 

Steels,  521. 
CLEANING-ROOM,  44. 
CLEANLINESS,  375. 
CLENCHES,  445,  449. 
CLIP 

of  hame-tug,  184. 

of  horse's  shoe,  447. 
CLIPPING,  471. 

Machine,  472. 
CLOTHING, 

Care  of,  385. 

Cost,  312. 

Fitting,  290. 

Horse,  291. 

Use  of,  419. 

Weight,  419. 
CLUB  stables,  8. 

Charges  at,  25. 
COACH 

Appointments,  91. 

Cost  and  weight,  85. 

Dimensions,  96. 

Harness  for,  211. 

Horses  for,  132. 
COACH  builders,  64. 
COACH  horn,  91,  281,  312. 


COACH  house,  36. 
COACHING 

Bit,  260. 

Whip,  277. 
COACHMEN, 

Chap.  XII,  313. 

Education  of,  315. 

Livery  for,  338. 

Means  of  obtaining,  327. 

References,  328. 

Types,  322. 

Wages,  20,  323-326,  332. 
COATS  (see  Grooming  and  Livery). 

COATS-OF-ARMS,    13. 

COCKADES,  353. 
COLD,  539. 
COLIC, 

Flatulent,  536. 

Spasmodic,  535. 
COLOR  of 

Harness,   166. 

Horses,  in. 

Livery,  340. 
COLLARS, 

Adjusting,  492. 

Breast,  180. 

Finish,  179. 

Fitting,  181. 

For  the  livery,  344,  352. 

Hame,  177. 

Head,  300. 

Kay,  177. 

Pipe  or  throat,  178. 

Shape,  179. 

Straw,  1 80. 
COLLET,  67. 
COLLINGE  axle,  67. 
COMBS,  301,  464. 

Cost,  20. 
COMPOSITION  harness, 

Cost,  20. 

Use  of,  523. 
CONDITION,  455. 


616 


CONDITIONING  —  DRA  UGHT. 


CONDITIONING,  452. 
CONFORMATION,  100-108. 
CONSTRUCTION 

of  carriages,  65,  75. 

of  stables,  26. 
COOLERS,  298. 

Cost,  312. 

Use  of,  511. 
CORN  meal,  407. 
CORNS,  117. 
CORONET,  100. 
COST  (see  Expenses). 
COUGH,  117. 

COUNTERSUNK  nail-holes,  448. 
COUPLING-REIN,  195. 

Adjusting,  498. 
COUPLING-RING,  195,  498. 
COW-HOCKED,  107. 
CRAB,  498. 

CRACKED  heels,  116,  430. 
CRADLE,  308. 
CRAVATS  (see  Scarfs). 
CREAM,  Meltonian, 

Cost,  20. 

Use  of,  524. 
CREST, 

Heraldic,  13-15. 

of  horse,  100,  103. 
CREST-BRUSHES, 

Cost,  20. 

Use  of,  526. 
CRIBBING,  117. 
CROSS-MATCHED,  114. 
CROSS  spring,  70. 
CROUP,  100,  104. 
CROWN-PIECE,  169. 
CRUPPER,  189. 
CRUPPER-STRAP,  189. 
CURB-CHAIN,  265,  272. 

Adjusting,  484. 
CURBS,  107,  117. 
CURRICLE, 

Cost  and  weight,  85. 


CURRICLE, 

Origin,  97. 
CURRYCOMB,  301. 

Cost,  20. 

Use  of,  427. 
CUSHION  tires,  80. 
CUTTING  (see  Interfering). 

"D"  SLIDE,  67. 

DAMPNESS,  effect  of,  32. 
DANDY-BRUSH, 

Care  of,  387. 

Cost,  20. 

Use  of,  427. 
DAPPLED,  113. 
DAY  clothing,  294. 

Cost,  20. 

Use  of,  419. 

Weight,  294-296. 
DEALERS  in  horses,  147. 
DECORATION  of  stable,  381. 
DEFECTS  and  blemishes,  116. 
DEMI-MAIL  phaeton, 

Appointments,  88. 

Cost  and  weight,  85. 

Harness  for,  207. 
DESIGN  of  carriages,  74. 
DIET,  horse's,  410. 
DISHING,  no. 
DISINFECTANT,  20,  375. 
DISTANCE,  507. 
DOCK,  100,  105. 
DOCKING,  469. 
DOORS,  52. 

DOUCHE,  cold  water,  438. 
DRAG,  96. 
DRAINAGE,  30. 
DRAINS, 

Cleaning,  375. 

Stall,  31. 
DRAUGHT,  73,  123. 

of  hames,  182. 


DRA  UGHT-REINS  —  FODDER. 


617 


DRAUGHT-REINS,  195. 

Adjusting,  498. 
DRENCHING,  540. 
DRESS  blankets,  290. 

Cost,  311. 
DRESS  clothing,  290. 

Cost,  311. 
DRESSING,  421. 
DRIVING,  501. 

Books  on,  506. 

For  Women,  561. 

Hints,  542. 

DRUGS,  misuse  of,  423. 
DRYING  a  horse,  510. 
DUMB  jockey,  458. 
DUMMY  coats,  352. 
DUN,  113. 

EARS,  102. 

Protection  of,  465. 
ECONOMY,  23,  24,  376. 
ELBOW,  105. 
ELBOW-BITS,  260. 
ELLIPTIC  spring,  70. 
ENAMELLED  leather,  162. 

Care  of,  524. 
EPAULETS,  353. 
EXERCISING,  460. 

Clothing  for,  297. 
EXHIBITING,  595. 

Driving  classes,  600. 

Hunters,  606. 

Saddle-horses,  605. 

Show-ring  driving,  602. 
EXPENSES, 

Chap.  Ill,  17. 

Fodder  and  bedding,  21. 

Fluctuating  items,  17. 

Initial  cost,  22. 

Means  of  economizing,  23. 

of  stable  requisites,  19. 

Funning,  21,  23. 


EYES,  102. 

Protection  of,  465. 

FACE-PIECE,  169,  170. 
FANCY  matched,   114. 
FARCY,  117. 
FARMERS'  satin,  345. 
FARRIERS,  charges  of,  440. 
FASHION,  n,  12. 
FASTENING  the  horse,  421. 
FEATHER  duster, 

Choice  of,  513. 

Cost,  20. 

Use  of,  513. 
FEEDING,  410. 
FEET,  100,  105,  107. 

Stopping  the,  431. 
FERRULE,  275. 
FETLOCK,  100. 
FETLOCK  joint,  100,  106. 
FILLET  cord,  297. 

Straps,  194. 
FINGER  draught,  183. 
FIRED,  116. 
FITTINGS,  36,  58. 

Brackets,  etc.,  39-45. 

Metal,  56. 
FLANK,  100. 

FLANNEL  bandages,  433. 
FLAP 

of  harness  saddle,  185,  186 

of  riding  saddle,  218,  224. 
FLATULENT  colic,  536. 
FLEABITTEN,  113. 
FLOORS 

of  coach  house,  36. 

of  harness  room,  39. 

of  stall,  47. 

of  wash-stand,  39. 
FLY  screens,  55. 
FODDER, 

Chap.  XV,  389. 

Bran,  401. 


618 


FODDER  —  ORE  A  T-  CO  A  TS. 


FODDER, 

Beans,  404. 
Carrots,  405. 
Corn  meal,  407. 

Cost,   21. 

Grass,  406. 

Hay,  391. 

H.  O.,  403- 

Linseed,  404. 

Malt,  405. 

Oatmeal,  403. 

Oats,  395. 

Oil  cake,  405. 

Salt,  408. 

Shorts,  401. 

Turnips,  406. 

Weights  and  measures,  417. 
FOOTMAN,  duties  of,  87,  504. 
FOOTMAN'S  livery  (house),  347. 
FORE-ARM,  100,  105. 

-head,  100,  102. 

-leg,  105. 

-shoes,  447. 
FORKS,  310. 

Cost,  20. 
FOUR-IN-HAND, 

Driving,  555. 

Harness,  211. 

Horses,  132. 

Putting-to,  500. 

Reins,  501. 

Whip,  277,  312. 
FRENCH  tug,  187. 
FRESH  air,  28,  378. 
FROG 

of  harness,  170. 

of  horse's  foot,  108,  445. 
FRONTS 

for  harness,  170. 

for  riding  bridles,  242. 
FUCHELLS,  66. 
FUEL,  cost  of,  21,  334. 
FULLERED  shoes,  448. 


FURNITURE, 

Care  of,  526. 
of  harness,  164. 
of  saddles,  219,  226. 

GAG  snaffle,  267. 
GALLS,  512. 
GAME  cart, 

Cost  and  weight,  85. 

Harness  for,  207. 
GAMMON  and  backgammon,  91. 
GASKIN,  100. 
GELDINGS,  118. 
GIG, 

Appointments,  206. 

Cost  and  weight,  85. 

Origin,  97. 
GIG  bit,  262 
GIG  harness,  206. 
GIRTH  harness,  186. 

Care  of,  525. 

Saddle,  237,  247. 
GIRTH-TUGS,  218,  225. 
GIRTHING-UP,  490. 
GLANDERS,  117. 
GLOVES,  354. 

Care  of,  ^28. 

Cost,  356. 
GOING-TO-COVERT  cart,   cost    and 

weight,  85. 

GOOD  taste,  Chap.  II,  10. 
GOVERNESS  cart,  cost  and  weight, 

8s- 

GRAIN  bin,  59. 

Chute,  59. 

Loft,  59. 
GRASS,  406. 
GRAY,  112. 
GREASE,  116. 
GREAT-COATS, 

Care  of,  527. 

Coachman's,  341. 


GREAT-  COATS—  BEAD-  COLLAR. 


619 


GREAT-COATS, 

Cost,  356. 

Groom's,  343. 
GREEN  fodder,  405. 
GRIDIRON,  252. 
GROOMING,  422. 

Amount  of,  424. 

Order  and  method  of,  426. 

Signs  of  bad,  422. 

Time  for,  424. 

Time  required,  425. 
GROOMING  articles,  301. 

Care  of,  387,  431. 

Cost,  21. 
GROOMS, 

Duties  of,  87,  504. 

Head,  322. 

Hunting,  322. 

Pad,  321. 

Personal  appearance,  320. 

Training,  322. 

Wages,  322-327. 
GRUEL,  403. 

GULLET-PLATE,  218,  225. 

HACK,  140. 
HALTER-SHANK,  301. 

Cost,   19,  312. 

Care  of,  385. 

Fastening,  421. 
HAME, 

Chain,    draft,    strap,    terret, 
178,  183. 

Tug,  178,  184. 
HAMES,  164,  178,  182. 

Adjusting,  493. 
HAND,  a,  117. 
HAND-CLIPPER,  472. 
HAND  rubbing,  438. 
HANOVARIAN  bit,  262. 
HANSOM, 

Cost  and  weight,  85. 


HANSOM, 

Harness  for,  207. 

Horse  for,  131. 

Origin,  98. 
HARD  water,  408. 
HARNESS, 

Chap.  VIII,  161. 

Appointments,  202. 

Care  of,  523,  526. 

Character,  163. 

Color,  1 66. 

Cost,  216. 

Fitting,  167. 

Furniture,   164. 

Parts  of,  167. 

Quality,  162. 

Stitching,  167. 

Style,  167. 

Types,  202. 

Weight,  167. 
HARNESS  brackets,  39-43. 

Hook,  45. 

Pegs,  47. 

HARNESS  punch,  491. 
HARNESS-ROOM,  38. 
HARNESSING,  490. 
HATS, 

Cost,  356. 

Livery,  351,  353. 
HAY,  391. 

Age,  392. 

Cost,  21,  395. 

euality,  391. 
uantity,  393. 

Weight,  395,  417. 

Weights  and  measures,  417. 
HAY  chute,  59. 

Loft,  59. 

Racks,  56. 
HEAD,  100,  102. 
HEAD-COLLAR,  300. 

Care  of,  385. 


620  HEAD-  COLLAR  —  HORSE. 

HEAD-COLLAR,  HORSE, 

Cost,  19,  311.  Coach,  132. 

Use  of,  421.  Color,  in. 

HEAD  groom  and  lad,  322.  Constitution,  128. 

HEADSTALL,  241.  Dealers,  147. 

HEATING,  34.  Defects  and  blemishes,  116. 

HEEL-POST,  48.  Hack,  140. 

HEELS,  formation  of,  108.  Hansom,  131. 

HERALDRY,  12.  Heavy  Harness,  600. 

HIND  leg,  106.  Hunter,  141,  606. 

Shoes,  447.  Mail  phaeton,  131. 

H.  O.,  403.  Manners,  119. 

HOCK,  100,  106.  Measuring,  117. 

Action,  no.  Pair,  a,  128. 

HOGGING  the  mane,  466.  Points  of,  Chap.  VI,  99. 

HOLSTER,  239.  Polo  pony,  145. 

HOODED  gig,,  cost  and  weight,  85.  Quality,  108. 

HOODS,  298.  Roadster,  134. 

Cost,  20.  Run-about,  132. 

HOOF,  100,  107,  445.  Saddle,  135,  562,  572. 

Dressing,  429.  Single,  126. 

Pick,  20.  Stallions,   mares  and  geld- 
HOOK,  ings,  118. 

Carriage  and  coach  pole,  78.  Stanhope,  130. 

for  forks,  etc.,  371.  T-cart,   130. 

for  pole  chains,  198.  Temperament,  128. 

Harness,  45.  Types   of,    123. 

HORN,  Victoria,  130. 

Coach,  91,  281.  HORSE  clothing,  294. 

Cost,  311.  Blankets,  295. 

Hunting,  286.  Breast  cloth,  298. 

Tandem,  284.  Care  of,  385. 

HORN  case  and  basket,  91,  93.  Coolers,  298. 

HORSE,  Cost,  21,  312. 

Action,  109.  Dress,  291,  297. 

Age,  114.  Exercising,  297. 

Barouche,  131.  Hoods,  298. 

Brougham,  128.  Knee-boots,  298. 

Buying,  153.  Measuring,  291. 

Cabriolet,  132.  Pad  cloth,  297. 

Carriage,  123.  Quality,  294. 

Children's  pony,  135.  Quarter,  291. 

Choice  of,  Chap.  VII,  121.  Roller,  297. 


HORSE  —  LIGHT. 


621 


HORSE  clothing, 

Roller  cloth,  298. 

Rugs,  295. 

Shape  and  make,  294. 

Sheets,  295. 

Surcingle,  297. 

Use  of,  419. 

Weight,  420. 
HORSE  dealers,  147. 
HORSE  shows,  2. 
HOSE  bracket,  21,  39. 
HOUSINGS,  188. 
HUNTERS,  141,  585. 

Classes  for,  143. 

Green,  144. 

Heavy  weight,  144,  145. 

Light  weight,  144,  145. 

Middle  weight,  144,  145. 

Qualified,  144. 
HUNTING,  585. 

Books  on,  506. 
HUNTING  horn,  286. 

Cost,  312. 

INJURIES,  116,  117,  511. 
INSURANCE,  60. 
INTERFERING,  no,  116,  117. 
INTERIOR  divisions  of  stables,  35. 

JAM  nut,  68. 

JAUNTING    car,  cost    and    weight, 
85. 

KAY  collar,  177. 
KEEPERS,  harness,  167. 
KERSEY,  295. 
KICKING,  117. 

KlCKING-STRAP,    IQI. 

Adjusting,  496. 
KIDNEY-LINK,  164,  183. 
KIDNEY-LINK  ring,  164. 

Adjusting,  498. 
KNEE,  100,  105,  106. 


KNEE  action,  109. 
KNEE  cap  or  boot,  298. 
KNEE  pad  of  saddle,  218,  222. 

LADY, 

Heraldic  insignia  of,  15. 
Management   of   the   stable 

by,  7- 
LADY'S 

Phaeton,  85. 

and  harness  for,  208. 

Saddle,  228. 

Saddle  horse,  138. 

Stirrup,  232. 
LAMENESS,  116,  536. 
LAMINITIS,  117. 

LAMPS,  for  carriage,  care  of  518. 
LANDAU, 

Cost  and  weight,  85. 

Harness,  207. 
LANCET,  78. 
LASH  (see  Thong),  276. 
LATCHES,  58. 
LAZY-BACKS,  91. 
LEAD-BARS,  91,  96. 
LEAPING-HEAD,  230,  233. 
LEATHER, 

Care  of,  517,  523. 

Quality,  162. 

Texture,  523. 
LEATHER  punch,  491. 

Cost,  20. 

LEATHERS  (see  Breeches),  348. 
LEAVES,  413. 
LEGS,  100,  105,  1 06,  no. 

Lotions  for,  435,  438. 

Washing,  429. 
LEGGINS,  351. 

Cost,  356. 
LIGHT,  27. 

Allowance  for,  334. 

Artificial,  27,  336. 


622 


LINCHPIN—  ME  GRIMS. 


LINCHPIN,  68. 

LINEN  bandages,  434. 

LINSEED,  404. 

LINSEED  oil  for  removing  stains, 

517. 

LIP-STRAP,  271, 
Loop,  250. 

LlPS,    IO2. 

LITTER  (see  Bedding),  411. 
LIVERPOOL  bit,  256,  259. 
LIVERY, 

Chap.  XIII,  p.  338. 

Boots,  350. 

Breeches,  348. 

Buttons,  341. 

Care  of,  527. 

Coats,  341-347- 

Cockades,  353. 

Collars,  344,  352. 

Color,  340. 

Cost,  356. 

Epaulets,  353. 

Furs,  355. 

Gloves,  354. 

Hats,  351,  353. 

Mackintosh,  354. 

Makers,  339. 

Material,  340. 

Putting  on,  494. 

Scarfs,  352. 

Stable  clothes,  351. 

Trousers,  350. 

LOCATION  of  stables,  26,  27. 
LOCKS,  58. 

LOFT,  hay  and  grain,  59. 
LOINS,  loo,  104. 

LOTIONS 

for  ban'dages,  435. 

for  sore  shoulders  and  backs, 

5H. 
LOUVRE  boards,  29. 


MACKINTOSH  coverings, 

Care  of,  529. 

Cost,  311,  356. 

for  horses,  288. 

Livery,  354. 
MAIL  axle,  68. 
MAIL  phaeton, 

Appointments,  88. 

Cost  and  weight,  85. 

Harness  for,  207. 

Horses  for,  131. 
MAIN  bar,  91,  96. 
MALT,  405. 
MANAGEMENT  of  the  stable,  Chap. 

XIV,  358. 
MANE, 

Brush,  302,  304. 

Brushing,  429. 

Comb,  301,  302. 

Layer,  466. 

Pulling,  465. 

Washing,  429. 
MANGE,  117. 
MANGEL-WURZELS,  406. 
MANGERS,  56,  57. 
MANNERS,  119. 
MANURE  fork,  414,  415. 
MARES,  118. 
MARK  in  teeth,   115. 
MARKS  of  color,  114. 
MARTINGALE, 

Adjusting,  489,  492. 

Cost,  249. 

for  harness,  194. 

for  saddles,  244. 
MASHES,  401,  404. 
MATS,  381-384. 
MEASURES,  417. 
MEASURING 

for  harness,  168. 

for  saddles,  221. 

Horses,  117. 
MEGRIMS,  117. 


METAL  —  O  WNER. 


623 


METAL, 

Care  of,  58,  387,  524. 

Fittings,  58. 
METAL  work, 

Care  of,  518,  526. 

on  carriages,'  77. 
MILK  teeth,  115. 
MOHAWK  bit,  271. 
MONOGRAMS,  165. 
MOON  plate,  68. 
MOTTO,  15. 
MOUTHING,  455. 
MOUTHING  bit,  273. 
MOUTH-PIECE,  250-252. 

Coverings  for,  252. 
MUD  fever,  116. 
MUZZLE 

for  grooming,  426. 

of  leather,  416. 

NAILS 

for  horsehoes,  448. 

Location  of,  449. 
NAIL-HOLES  in  horseshoes,  448. 
NAVE,  66. 
NAVICULAR,  117. 
NEAR  side  (see  Off  side),  448. 
NEAT'S-FOOT  oil, 

Cost,  20. 

Use  of,  517. 
NECK,  100,  103. 
NECK-YOKE,  76,  79,  80. 
NECK-YOKE  straps,  197. 

Adjusting,  498. 
NET  for  pullers,  272. 
NEWMARKET  tug,   185. 
NIB,  71. 
NIGHT  clothing,  296. 

Cost,  19,  312. 

Use  of,  420. 

Weight,  420. 
NOSE,  100,  102. 


NOSEBAND,   169,   176. 

Independent,  272. 
NOSTRILS,  100,  102. 
NUMNAH,  237,  239. 

Care  of,  524. 

Cost,  247. 


NUT, 


Axle,  67. 
Jam,  68. 
Set,  68. 


OATS,  395. 

Age,  396. 
Bruised,  398. 

Cost,   21,  40C). 

Crushed,  398. 

euality,  395. 
uantity,  397. 

Weight,  399. 

Weights  and  measures,  417. 
OATMEAL,  403. 
OFF  side,  448. 
OIL, 

Castor,  520. 

Linseed,  512,  534,  540. 

Neat's-foot,  20,  29,  517. 
OIL  cake,  405. 
OIL  cup,  68. 
OILING  axles,  68,  518. 
OMNIBUS, 

Cost  and  weight,  85. 

Harness  for,  207. 
OPHTHALMIA,  117. 
ORDER,  374. 
ORGANIC  diseases,  117. 
ORIGINAL  expenses,  22. 
OSTLERS,  322. 
OVER-IN-THE-KNEES,  105. 
OWNER, 

as  master,  6,  314,  358,  364. 

Duties  of,  334,  363. 

Effect  of  indifference,  5. 

Influence  of,  3. 


624 


PAD  —  PRIVATE. 


PAD  of  harness,   185,   186,   188. 
PAD-GROOM,  327. 

Livery  for,  343. 
PAD-GIRTH,  185-187. 
PAD-TERRET,  186. 
PADDLING,  no. 
PADDOCK,  60. 
PAILS,  20. 
PAINTING 

Carriages,  72. 

Stable  fittings,  56. 
PAIR,  a,  128. 
PANEL-BOOT  victoria, 

Appointments,  87,  174,  188. 

Cost  and  weight,  86. 
PANNEL,  218,  221,  223. 
PARK-GATE  gig, 

Appointments,  206. 

Cost  and  weight,  85. 

PASSAGEWAY  behind  stalls,  52. 
PASTE-SADDLE, 

Cost,  20. 

Use  of,  524. 

PASTERN,  100,  106,  107. 
PASTURING,  474. 
PATENT  leather,  162. 

Care  of,  524. 

PAVEMENTS  for  stables,  36-39. 
PEAT  moss,  412. 
PELHAM  bit,  269. 
PERCH,  66. 

Bolt,  67. 
PHAETON, 

Appointments,  88. 
.  Cost  and  weight,  85. 

Harness  for,  208. 

Origin,  95. 
PHYSIC,  453. 
PIEBALD,  113. 
PILLAR-REINS, 

Cost,  20. 

Use  of,  426. 


PlLLIKINS,  381. 

PIN, 

Blanket,  420. 

Linch,  68. 
PIPE  clay,  20,  525. 
PIPE-COLLAR,  178. 
PLAITS,  381. 
PLAN  of  stables,  35. 
PLATE  for  buttons, 

Cost,  21. 

Use  of,  528. 
PLATE  powder, 

Cost,  20. 

Use  of,  526,  528. 
PLATFORM  spring,  70. 
PNEUMATIC  tires,  80. 
POINT  pocket,  218. 
POINTS  for  whips,  276. 

Renewing,  527. 

POINTS  of  the  horse,  Chap.  VI,  99. 
POLE  for  carriage,  77. 

Care  of,  513. 
POLE-CHAIN,  79,  197. 

Adjusting,  497. 
POLE-END,  78. 
POLE-HOOK,  78. 
POLE-PIECES,  79,  196. 

Adjusting,  497. 
POLE-TOP,  78. 
POLL,  TOO. 
POLO,  books  on,  506. 
POLO  pony,  145. 
POMMEL,  218. 
PONY, 

Children's,  135. 

Polo,  145. 
PORT,  250. 
PRIVATE  coach  (see  Coach), 

Appointments,  91. 

Cost  and  weight,  85. 

Dimensions,  96. 

Harness  for,  211. 

Horses  for,  132. 


PULLEY— RUN-ABOUT. 


625 


PULLEY  bridoon,  263. 
PULSE,  532. 

PUNCH,  leather,  20,  491. 
PURCHASE  of 

Carriages,  81. 

Harness,  216. 

Horses,  153. 

Livery,  339. 
PUSH-BROOM,  20. 

"PUTTING-TO,"  495. 

QUALITY  in  horses,  108. 
QUARTER  blankets,  291. 

Cost,  311. 
QUITTOR,  117. 

RABBIT-BITTEN,  275. 
RACE,  114. 
RACKS  for 

Robes,  43. 

Saddle,  43. 

Whip,  43. 

RASPING  the  hoof,  450. 
RAWHIDE  whip,  274. 
REARING,  117. 
RECORDS,  609. 

REFERENCES  of  servants,  328. 
REINS, 

Adjusting,  493,  498. 

for  harness,  195. 

for  riding,  243. 

Method  of  holding  500,  501, 

502. 

REMOVAL  of  old  shoes,  445. 
RENEWALS,  21,  22. 
RENTAL  of  stables,  21. 
REPAIRS,  21,  22. 
RHEUMATISM,  117. 
RIBS,  loo,  104. 
RIDING, 

Bits,  267. 

Books  on,  506. 

Bridles,  241,  243,  247. 

For  Men,  572. 


RIDING, 

For  Women,  561. 

Saddles,  217,  228. 

Whips,  279,  312. 
RINGBONE,  117. 
ROAD  coach  (see  Coach), 

Cost  and  weight  85. 

Harness  for,  211. 

Horses  for,  132. 
ROAD  wagon, 

Appointments,  89. 

Cost  and  weight,  85. 

Harness  for,  214. 

Horses  for,  134. 
ROADSTER,  134. 
ROAN,  113. 
ROARING,  117. 
ROBES,  286. 

Care  of,  529. 

Cost  of,  312. 

ROCKAWAY,  cost  and  weight,  85. 
ROLLER,  295,  297. 

Cost,  20. 

Use  of,  428. 
ROLLER  bolts,  66. 
ROLLER  cloth,  298. 
ROSETTES,  173. 
ROUGHING  of  shoes,  447. 
ROWEL   236. 
RUBBER  apron,  20. 
RUBBER  boots,  20. 
RUBBER  tires,  80. 
RUBBING  cloths,  304. 

Care  of,  387. 

Cost,  20. 

Use  of,  511. 
RUGS,  295. 

Cost,  312. 
RUN-ABOUT, 

Appointments,  89. 

Cost  and  weight,  86. 

Harness  for,  205. 

Horse  for,  132. 


626 


R  UNNING  —  SHOES. 


RUNNING  expenses,  21,  23. 
RUNNING  martingale,  244. 
RUPTURES,  117. 
RYE  straw,  412. 

SADDLE  for  harness,  185. 
SADDLE  for  riding,  217. 

Appurtenances,  239. 

Care  of,  524. 

Color,  219. 

Construction,  224. 

Cost,  247. 

Fitting,  221. 

Furniture,  219. 

Girths,  237. 

Leather,  219. 

Man's,  573. 

Measuring,  221. 

Parts  of,  218. 

Size,  221. 

Shape,  222. 

Stirrups,  234. 

Stirrup-leathers,  226. 

Weight,  220,  233. 

Woman's,  228. 
SADDLE-CLOTHS,  237. 

Cost,  247. 

SADDLE  horses,  135,  562,  572. 
SADDLE  paste,  20. 
SADDLE  soap,  use  of,  524. 
SADDLING,  488. 
SALT,  408. 
SAND  crack,  116. 
SAND  for  burnishing,  521. 
SAWDUST,  413. 
SCARFS,  352. 

Cost,  356. 
SCARS,  116. 
SCOURING 

Horses,  455. 

Steels,  521. 


SCRAPERS,  303,  306. 

Cost,  20. 

Use  of,  510. 

SCROLL,  draught,  182,  183. 
SEDATIVES,  534. 
SERVANTS,  stable, 

Chap.  XII,  313. 

Accommodations  for,  60. 

Board,  332,  370. 

Boys,  327. 

Character,  316,  358. 

Coachmen,  316. 

Discharging,  367. 

Duties  of,  316,  325,  358. 

Engaging,  329. 

Grooms,  326. 

Manners,  365. 

Means  of  obtaining,  327. 

Pad-groom,  321. 

Personal    appearance,    321, 

365. 

References,  329. 

Time  off,  368. 

Types,  322. 

Wages,  21,323-327,  331. 
SHAFTS,  76. 
SHAVINGS,  412. 
SHEATH,  100. 

Cleaning,  430.  - 
SHEETS,  295. 

Care  of,  385. 

Cost,  20,  312. 

Use  of,  419. 

Weight  of,  420. 
SHIELD 

for  buttons,  528. 

for  monograms,  526. 

Heraldic,  14. 
SHOES,  1 1 6,  439. 

Anti-slipping,  450. 

Applying,  449. 

Calkings,  447. 

Clenches,  445,  449. 


SHOES—  STABLES. 


627 


SHOES, 

Clips,  447. 

Cost,  21,  440. 

Length,  447. 

Means    of    detecting    when 
loose,  429. 

Nails,  448. 

Nail-holes,  448. 

Preparing  the  hoof,  445. 

Rasping,  450. 

Removal  of  old  shoes,  445. 

Reshoeing,  450. 

Weight,  446. 

Width,  447. 
SHORTS,  401. 
SHOULDER,  100,  104. 

Galls,  511. 

SHOULDER  knot,  344,  345. 
SICKLE  hocks,  107. 
SICKNESS  (see  Veterinary  Notes). 
SIDE  bones,  117. 
SIDE  edges,  344. 
SIDE  spring,  70. 
SIEVE,  20. 

SILVER,  cleaning,  518,  526,  528. 
SILVER  sand,  20,  521. 
SINGEING,  474. 
SINGEING  lamp,  474. 

Cost,,  20. 

SITE  of  stables,  32. 
SKELETON  break,  cost  and  weight, 

85- 
SKELETON,  919. 

Cost  and  weight,  85. 
SKEWBALD,  114. 
SKID,  92. 
SKIN, 

Cleaning,  422. 

Color,  113. 
SKIRT 

of  harness,  185,  186,  188. 

of  livery  coats,  344. 

Riding  saddles,  218. 


SLEIGH  bells,  199,  201. 
SNAFFLE  bits, 

Adjusting,  484. 

Driving,  255. 

Riding,  267. 
SNIP,  114. 
SOAP, 

Castile,  20. 

Saddle,  524. 

Use  of,  429,  430. 
SOFT  water,  408. 
SOILING,  453. 
SOLE  of  foot,  108,  445. 
SORE  back  and  shoulders,  511. 
SORREL,  114. 

SOUNDNESS,  Chap.  VI,  99. 
SPASMODIC  colic,  535. 
SPAVIN,  117. 
SPEEDY  cutting,  116. 
SPIDER  phaeton, 

Appointments,  88. 

Cost  and  weight,  85. 

Harness  for,  207. 
SPLINT,  116,  117. 
SPLINTER  bars,  76,  96. 
SPONGES,  306. 

Care  of,  387. 

Cost,  20. 

SPONGE  rack,  20,    38,  40. 
SPOTS,  to  remove  from 

Carriages,  512,  517. 

Harness,  524. 

Livery,  528. 
SPRINGS,  70,  71. 
SPRING  bars,  218,  219,  488. 

Care  of,  524. 
SPURS,  236,  248. 
STABLES, 

Chap.  IV,  26. 

Accommodations     for     ser- 
vants, 60. 

Aspect,  32. 

Boxes,  51. 


628 


STABLES— STRAPPERS. 


STABLES, 

Chutes,  59. 

Cleaning  room,  44. 

Coach  house,  36. 

Drainage,  30. 

Fly  screens,  55. 

Harness  room,  38. 

Hay  and  grain  loft,  59. 

Hay  racks,  56. 

Insurance,  60. 

Interior  divisions,  35. 

Latches,  58. 

Light,  27,  366. 

Location,  26. 

Management,  358. 

Mangers,  56. 

Metal  fittings,  58. 

Rental,  21. 

Site,  32. 

Stalls,  47. 

Ventilation,  28,  378. 

Water  supply,  33. 

.Windows,  39,  54. 
STABLE  clothes,  351. 

Cost,  356. 

STABLE  fittings,  care  of,  375. 
STABLE  management, 

Chap.  XIV,  358. 

Authority,     recognition    of, 

363- 

Care  of  blankets,  grooming 
articles,  etc.,  and  stable 
requisites,  385-387- 

Character  of  servants,   316, 

358. 

Cleanliness,  375. 
Discharging,  367. 
Economy,  376. 
Lights,  366. 
Manners,  365. 
Mats,  381. 
Meal  hours,  365. 
Order,  374. 


STABLE  management, 

Plaits,  381. 

Pillikins,  381. 

Smoking,  366. 

System,  370. 

Temperature,  379. 

Time  off,  368. 

Ventilation,  379. 
STABLE  requisites, 

Care  of,  385. 

List  of,  19. 

STABLE  servants  (see  Servants), 3 13. 
STALLS,  47. 
STALL  windows,  54. 
STALLIONS,  118. 
STANDARD,  117. 
STANDING  martingale,  194,  244. 

Adjusting,  489,  492. 
STANHOPE  phaeton, 

Appointments,  88. 

Cost  and  weight,  85. 

Harness  for,  207. 

Horses  for,  130. 

Origin,  95. 
STAR,  a,  114. 
STATION  omnibus, 

Cost  and  weight,  85. 

Harness  for,  207. 
STEEL  burnisher, 

Cost,  20. 

Use  of,  521. 
STEELS,  care  of,  521. 
STEEL  case,  44. 
STICK  basket,  92,  93. 
STIMULANTS,  533. 
STIRRUPS, 

Care  of,  521. 

Men's,  234,  248. 

Women's,  232,  248. 
STIRRUP  leathers,  226,  247. 
STOPPING  the  feet,  431. 
STOPS,  243. 
STRAPPERS,  322. 


STRAW—  TUG-GIRTH. 


629 


STRAW,  412. 

Cost,  21,  416. 

Weight  and  measure,  418. 
'  STRTNGHALT,  117. 
SUNDRIES,  allowance  for,  21. 
SURCINGLE,  297. 
SURREY,  cost  and  weight,  86. 
SWEAT,  as  an  indication  of  condi- 
tion, 455. 
SWEAT-FLAP,  218,  225. 

System,  370. 

T-CART,  cost  and  weight,  86. 
TAIL,  105. 

Brushing,  429. 

Docking,  469. 

Trimming,  467. 

Washing,  429. 
TANDEM 

Bars,  499. 

Cart,  85. 

Driving,  555. 

Harness,  208. 

Horn,  284,  312. 

"Putting-to,"  499. 

Reins,  250,  547. 

Whip,  277,  312. 
TEETH,  114. 
TEMPERATURE  of 

Coach  house,  379,  513. 

Harness  room,  379. 

the  horse,  532. 

the  stable,  379. 
TENDONS,  105. 
THEATRE      omnibus,      cost      and 

weight,  85. 
THERMOMETER, 

Clinical,  532. 

Registering,  379. 
THICK  wind,  117. 
THIGH,  100,  106. 
THONGS,  276. 

Care  of,  527. 


THOROUGHBREDS,  124. 
TIIOROUGHPIN,  117. 
THROAT,  100,  103. 
THROAT-COLLAR,  178. 
THROAT-LATCH,  169,  175. 

Adjusting,  289. 
THRUSH,  108,  117. 
TIED  in  at  the  knees,  105. 
TILBURY,  cost  and  weight,  86. 
TIRES, 

Cushion,  80. 

Pneumatic,  80. 

Rubber,  81. 
TOP-BOOTS,  350. 

Cost,  356. 
TORSE,  16. 

TOTAL  expenses,  table  of,  21,  22. 
TRACES,  191. 

Adjusting,  495,  497. 

Four-in-hand,  501. 

Tandem,  499. 
TRACE  bearers,  193. 
TRACE-BUCKLE,  178,  185. 
TRACE-GIRTH,  186. 
TRACE-LOOPS,  192. 
TRACTION,  73. 
TREES  for 

Boots,  21,  356. 

Breeches,  358,  529. 

of  saddles,  218,  221. 
TRIMMING,  463,  467. 
TRIMMING  scissors,  463,  467. 

Combs,  464,  465. 

Cost,  20. 
TROUSERS, 

Cost,  356. 

Livery,  350. 
TUG,  1 86,  187. 

English,  1 88. 

French,  187. 

Newmarket,  185. 

Tilbury,  188. 
TUG-GIRTH,  186,  187. 


630 


TUG-STRAP—  WHITE  CHAPEL. 


TUG-STRAP,  185,  186,  187. 

TURF,  413. 

TURNING  out,  474. 

TURNIPS,  406. 

TUSHES,  115. 

TYING  the  horse,  421. 

UNDER-CARRIAGE,  66. 
UNHARNESSING,  508. 
UNNERVED,  117. 
UNSADDLING,  508. 
UNSOUNDNESS,  115,  117. 
USE  of  a  carriage,  506. 

VALENCIA,  347. 
VALUES  of  horses,  152. 
VARNISH,  77,  512. 
VENTILATION,  28,  378. 
VETERINARY   notes,    Chap.    XIX, 

53i- 

Vicious  horses,  117,  427. 
VICTORIA, 

Appointments,  87. 

Cost  and  weight,  86.    . 

Harness  for,  187,  203. 

Horses  for,  130. 

Origin,  94. 

Panel-boot,  86. 
VILLAGE  cart,  cost  and  weight,  85. 

WAGES  of  stable  servants,  21,  323- 

327- 
WAGONETTE, 

Cost  and  weight,  86. 

Harness  for,  207. 

Origin,  95. 
WAISTCOATS,  347. 
WALKING,  exercise,  to  cool,  510. 
WASHERS,  519. 
WASHING, 

Carnages,  514. 

Legs,  429. 

Mane,  429. 


WASHING, 

Sheath,  430. 

Tail,  429. 
WASH-STAND,  38. 
WATER 

Douche,  438. 

Hard,  408. 

Quality,  408. 

Quantity,  409. 

Soft,  408. 

Supplies,  hot  and  cold,  33. 

Temperature,  409. 
WATERING,  410. 
WATER-BRUSH, 

Care  of,  387. 

Cost,  20. 

Use  of,  428. 

WATER  pails,  care  of,  386. 
WATERPROOF  coverings, 

Cost,  312. 

for  horses,  288. 

for  livery,  354. 
WEAVING,  117. 
WEIGHTS  and  measures,  table  of, 

417. 

WEYMOUTH  bit,  269. 
WHALEBONE  whip,  274. 

Cost,  312. 
WHEEL-JACK, 

Cost,  20. 

Use  of,  515. 
WHEEL  wrench,  520. 
WHEELS,  66. 
WHIFFLE-TREE,  76. 
WHIPS,  274. 

Care  of,  527. 

Cost,  312. 

Driving,  274. 

Riding,  279. 
WHIPCORD  livery,  351. 
WHITE  horses,  112. 
WHITECHAPEL      cart,     cost      and 
weight,  85. 


WIND-BROKEN—  WRINGER.  631 

WIND-BROKEN,  117.  WINKER-STAYS,  169,  175. 

WINDPIPE,  100,  103.  WINTERING,  477. 

WINDOWS,  WITHERS,  100,  104. 

Care  of  carriage,  518.  WORK  for  horses,  452,  460,  507. 

Location  of  stall,  54.  WORMS,  539. 

Stable,  29.  WOUNDS,  511. 

WINKERS,  169,  175.  WRENCHES  for  wheels,  520. 

Adjusting,  493.  WRINGER  for  chamois,  20,  40. 


First -Hand  Bits  of  Stable  Lore 


By    FRANCIS    M.    WA  R  E 

Illustrated  from  Photographs.     Crown  octavo.     $2.00  net. 

THIS  is  a  practical  work  which  every  horse  owner  should 
have.  The  author  is  well  known  as  the  manager  of  the 
American  Horse  Exchange,  New  York,  and  has  been  identi- 
fied with  the  leading  horse-show  organizations  throughout 
the  country.  The  chapters  epitomize  thirty  years'  active, 
personal  experience  with  every  kind  of  a  horse  for  every 
conceivable  purpose,  and  the  deductions  are  drawn  in  no 
sense  theoretical. 


PURCHASE  AND    PRELIMINARIES. 

AS  TO   "SOUNDNESS." 

STABLING  AND  STABLES. 

STABLE  MANAGEMENT. 

CONDITION  AND  CONDITIONING. 

THE    -GREEN"   OR    UNACCLIMATED    HORSE  AND 

HIS  CARE. 

THE  HORSE'S  EDUCATION. 
MOUTHS  AND  MANNERS. 
THE  FOOT  AND  ITS  TREATMENT. 
THE   APPOINTMENT  FAD. 
THE  SADDLE-HORSE. 
THE  HUNTER  AND   HIS  EDUCATION. 
THE  STEEPLECHASER  AND  HIS  SCHOOLING. 
RIDING    FOR  BEGINNERS. 
FOUR-IN-HAND   DRIVING. 
COACHING  AND  ITS  ACCOMPANIMENTS. 
MANAGEMENT  OF  A  PACK  OF  HOUNDS. 
SHOWING  HORSES. 


LITTLE,    BROWN     AND    COMPANY 

PUBLISHERS,    254    WASHINGTON  ST.,    BOSTON 


14  DAY  USE 

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